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straight man

idiom

A member (of any gender) of a team of comic performers who plays a supporting role by helping to set up jokes and punch lines through engaging in dialog with another comedian playing a more eccentric or otherwise more interesting character; a foil who plays such a role in theatrical comedy.


Anchors to
Related idioms8entries
  1. 01

    be a man

    To put up with something or take responsibility for it; to deal with something, such as pain or misfortune, without complaining.

  2. 02

    be one's own man

    To behave independently without the influence of others.

  3. 03

    be the bigger man

    To walk away from a conflict to prevent it from escalating.

  4. 04

    boldly go where no man has gone before

    To break new ground.

  5. 05

    broken man

    A man who has suffered significant and enduring emotional pain as a result of a highly unpleasant or traumatic event.

  6. 06

    damn straight

    Without doubt, certainly, for sure.

  7. 07

    draw a straight furrow

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

  8. 08

    every man has a price

    Everyone can be bribed or corrupted for a certain price.

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