straight
straight
/streɪt/
without curves
1 without a bend or curve; going in one direction only
a straight road
long, straight hair (= not curly)
a boat sailing in a straight line
straight-backed chairs
Keep the car straight when you're backing out.
Collocations
verbs
adverb
in level/correct position
2 positioned in the correct way; level, vertical or parallel to something
Is my tie straight?
He stepped back to make sure that the picture was straight.
Her teeth were white and perfectly straight.
clothing
3 not fitting close to the body and not curving away from the body
a straight skirt
aim/blow
4 going directly to the correct place
a straight punch to the face
clean/neat
It took hours to get the house straight.
I'm trying to get the house straight before the weekend.
Collocations
verbs
get something
put something
honest
6 honest and direct
I expect a straight answer to a straight question.
straight with somebody I don't think you're being straight with me.
It's time for some straight talking.
You can trust Ben—he’s (as) straight as a die (= completely honest).
Collocations
verbs
adverb
preposition
with
choice
It was a straight choice between taking the job and staying out of work.
(British English) The election was a straight fight between the two main parties.
actor/play
8 only before noun (of an actor or a play) not connected with comedy or musical theatre, but with serious theatre without being interrupted
The team has had five straight wins.
alcoholic drink
10 (British English also neat) not mixed with water or anything else
normal/boring
11 (informal) you can use straight to describe a person who is normal and ordinary, but who you consider boring
sex
12 (informal) heterosexual
Idioms
straight
/streɪt/
(straighter, straightest)
not in curve
1 not in a curve or at an angle; in a straight line
Keep straight on for two miles.
Can you stretch your arms out straighter?
He was too tired to walk straight.
I can't shoot straight (= accurately).
She looked me straight in the eye.
immediately
2 by a direct route; immediately
Come straight home after school.
I was so tired I went straight to bed.
She went straight from college to a top job.
straight after something I'm going to the library straight after the class.
I'll come straight to the point—your work isn't good enough.
in level/correct position
3 in or into a level or vertical position; in or into the correct position
Sit up straight!
She pulled her hat straight.
honestly
4 honestly and directly
I told him straight that I didn't like him.
Are you playing straight with me?
continuously
5 continuously without being interrupted
They had been working for 16 hours straight.
Idioms
(informal) (of information) given by somebody who is directly involved and therefore likely to be accurate
(informal) to stop being a criminal and live an honest life
to be very obvious to somebody
to be honest and not try to trick somebody
immediately; without delay
SYNONYM at once
I'll do it straight away.
if you say something straight from the shoulder, you are being very honest and direct, even if what you are saying is critical
(informal) without hesitating
She asked him straight off what he thought about it all.
(British English, informal, becoming old-fashioned) used to ask if what somebody has said is true or to emphasize that what you have said is true
I saw it—straight up!
(used especially in negative sentences)
to think in a clear or logical way
The drugs were affecting her and she couldn't think straight.
straight
/streɪt/
sex
1 (informal) a person who has sexual relationships with people of the opposite sex, rather than the same sex
gays and straights
of road/track
2 (North American English also straightaway) a straight part of a racetrack or road
Word Origin
Middle English (as an adjective and adverb): archaic past participle of stretch.