ENGLISH
REFERENCE

straight

adj. · adv. · n.
US //ˈstɹeɪt// UK //stɹˈeɪt// straight
  1. 1 not curved (adj.)
    A2 Elementary

    not bending or curving; continuing in one direction.

    having a constant direction throughout its length; not crooked, curly, or bent.

    Example

    The road was straight for miles, so it was very easy to drive on.

    Example

    The architect insisted on perfectly straight lines to emphasize the building's minimalist aesthetic.
  2. 2 honest and direct (adj.)
    B1 Intermediate

    honest and easy to understand; not trying to hide the truth.

    direct in communication and free from dishonesty or evasion.

    Example

    I just want a straight answer to my question.

    Example

    He has a reputation for being a straight shooter who never hides his true intentions from his business partners.
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  1. 3 consecutive (adj.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    happening one after another without a break.

    occurring in an unbroken sequence; consecutive.

    Example

    They won three straight games and moved to the top of the league.

    Example

    After working ten straight hours without a break, the medical staff was visibly exhausted.
  2. 4 heterosexual (adj.)
    B1 Intermediate Informal

    attracted to people of the opposite sex.

    denoting a heterosexual orientation.

    Example

    He has both straight and gay friends in his social circle.

    Example

    The documentary explores the experiences of both straight and LGBTQ+ individuals in rural communities.
  3. 5 neat or tidy (adj.)
    B1 Intermediate

    organized and in the correct place.

    arranged in proper order; tidy and as it should be.

    Example

    I need to get the house straight before the guests arrive.

    Example

    It took several hours of filing to finally get the office records straight.
  4. 6 undiluted drink (adj.)
    C1 Advanced General-service Cooking

    a drink, like whisky, that is not mixed with water or ice.

    referring to spirits served undiluted and without mixers.

    Example

    He ordered a straight vodka at the bar.

    Example

    The connoisseur preferred his bourbon straight, arguing that ice cubes masked the subtle notes of the oak barrel.
  5. 7 directly (adv.)
    A2 Elementary

    in a direct line or without stopping.

    in a direct course; without pause, delay, or detour.

    Example

    Go straight down this hall and turn left at the end.

    Example

    After the meeting concluded, she went straight to the airport to catch the red-eye flight to London.
  6. 8 linear section (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Sport

    a part of a road or track that does not curve.

    a section of a track or road that is without curves.

    Example

    The runner took the lead on the final straight of the race.

    Example

    The race car reached its maximum speed on the long back straight before braking hard for the hairpin turn.
  7. 9 poker hand (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    a hand of five cards in a row, like 5, 6, 7, 8, 9.

    a hand containing five cards in numerical sequence, regardless of suit.

    Example

    He won the pot because he had a straight and his opponent only had two pairs.

    Example

    The tension at the table peaked when the player revealed a king-high straight, beating the three-of-a-kind held by the dealer.
Origin

From Middle English streight, streght, streiȝt, the past participle of strecchen (“to stretch”), from Old English streċċan (past participle ġestreaht, ġestreht), from Proto-West Germanic *strakkjan (“to stretch”). Cognate with Scots straicht (“straight”), Dutch gestrekt (“stretched”), German gestreckt (“stretched”), Danish strakt (“stretched”), Faroese and Norn strekti (“stretched”), Icelandic strekkti (“stretched”), Norwegian strekte (“stretched”), Swedish sträckte (“stretched”). Doublet of straught. Equivalent to stretch + -ed. In some senses, conflated with strait (“narrow, constricted”), which is from Latin strictus via Old French estreit.

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