English Reference
Idiom idiom

keep straight


To avoid confusing or mixing up something; to keep something clear or organized.

Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.


SIMPLE

I use a calendar to keep my appointments straight.

CONTEXTUAL

With so many different names and dates to remember, it is hard to keep all the project details straight.

COMPLEX

The investigator struggled to keep the conflicting testimonies straight as she attempted to reconstruct the chaotic events of that evening.


Related idioms8entries
  1. 01

    cobbler, keep to your last

    One should not criticise matters outside one's field of expertise; one should mind one's business.

  2. 02

    damn straight

    Without doubt, certainly, for sure.

  3. 03

    draw a straight furrow

    To live correctly or ethically, without deviating from the right line of duty.

  4. 04

    earn one's keep

    To perform satisfactory physical labor or to provide other worthy services in return for remuneration, lodging, or other benefits; to support oneself financially.

  5. 05

    get one's head straight

    To clear one's mind; to think clearly.

  6. 06

    get one's priorities straight

    Synonym of get one's act together.

  7. 07

    get straight

    Synonym of clarify: to make clear, to reach an understanding.

  8. 08

    gift that keeps on giving

    Something with continuous (typically positive) consequences.

Last updated August 10, 2026