straighten
v.v. to make something straight or tidy. You use this when you fix a messy pile of papers or move something so it is not crooked.
v. to make or become straight in line or form; to put into a proper or tidy order. Often used with the particle 'up' to indicate a general cleaning or organizing of a space.
She paused to straighten her tie before the interview.
The teacher asked the students to straighten their desks and pick up any paper on the floor before leaving.
After the earthquake, the city spent years trying to straighten the damaged infrastructure and restore the historical district to its former geometric precision.
From straight + -en. Compare Scots strauchten (“to straighten”).
Can be used transitively with an object or intransitively; frequently pairs with 'up' or 'out'.
I need to straight my hairI need to straighten my hairLearners often use the adjective 'straight' as a verb instead of the correct verb form 'straighten'.