straightawayadj.n.adv.
/ˈstreɪtəweɪ/, U.S. /ˈstreɪdəˌweɪ/ (in sense C.)Brit. /ˌstreɪtəˈweɪ/, U.S. /ˌstreɪdəˈweɪ/ A. adj.
Of a shot: Aimed at a bird flying ‘straight away’. Also said of the bird. Of a ride, a course in rowing or sailing: Continuous in direction and time; similarly of other courses or paths: direct, without bending or turning.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > direction > [adjective] > straight or constant
directa1500
straightaway1874
point-to-point1930
the world > movement > motion in a certain direction > a straight course > [adjective]
forthrightc1000
rightOE
evenc1175
straightc1400
directa1500
right forth1561
outright1582
ungiddy1615
undeclined1638
forerighta1640
rectilinear1651
right-lined1702
rectilineala1774
arrow-straight1834
straightaway1874
point-to-point1930
the world > food and drink > hunting > shooting > [adjective] > shot at bird
straightaway1874
1874 J. W. Long Amer. Wild-fowl Shooting i. 41 Straight-away shots they usually kill better than any others, because little or no calculation is required.
1883 Standard 18 Jan. 3/7 Another straightaway row to Iffley was indulged in.
1889 C. Lancaster Art of Shooting 72 Longer shots may be made at crossing than at straight-away birds.
1889 C. Lancaster Art of Shooting 75 The Straightforward Shot. This class of shot may be considered under three headings—straight-away, high straight-away, and low straight-away shots.
1894 Outing 24 175/1 It was a straight-away gallop, our horses straining every nerve and muscle to the utmost.
1898 R. Kipling in Morning Post 5 Nov. 5/3 Once again we headed W.N.W...at an average speed of between thirteen and fourteen knots on a straightaway run of three hundred and fifty miles.
1903 G. V. Hobart Out for Coin 89 Out of the chute in to the straightaway course they foamed, that heaving, seething mass of horseflesh.
1913 Captain Sept. 1072/2 In straight-away flights even higher speeds have been established.
1977 New Yorker 16 May 115/1 The fifteenth, a straightaway 490-yard par 5, can be reached with two big blows.
B. n.
A straight course in rowing or sailing. Also, a straight section of a road or racecourse, etc. Cf. straight n. 3. Chiefly U.S.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > racing or race > [noun] > course or track > parts of
run-in1799
quarter-stretch1830
home run1833
hurdle1833
back stretch1839
home stretch1841
straight1846
last lap1848
straightaway1878
home straight1880
stretch1895
back-straight1905
the wall1974
society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > racing or race > horse racing > racecourse > [noun] > specific type
training course1822
slow track1841
fast track1859
straightaway1878
bullring1897
paceway1978
society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > racing or race > boat racing or race > [noun] > course > specific type
straightaway1878
society > travel > means of travel > route or way > way, path, or track > road > parts of road > [noun] > straight part
straight1953
straightaway1957
1878 C. Hallock Amer. Club List & Sportsman's Gloss. p. xi Straight-away, a straight course without a turn, for racing boats.
1895 G. J. Manson Sporting Dict. Straightaway, a straight course without a turn for racing boats.
1909 Cent. Dict. Suppl. Straightaway, a race-course which is without turn or curve; also a race which is run without turning or curving.
1926 E. Hemingway In our Time xiii. 188 Finally they made the last turn and came into the straightaway.
1935 Sun (Baltimore) 31 Jan. 11/6 On straightaways, Lieutenant Klein said, these pursuit planes made still higher speeds with the ‘100-octane’.
1954 Sun (Baltimore) 10 July 9/3 Sans Egal went to the front at once and opened a lead of some six lengths along the backstretch. However, when he entered the final straightaway, he attempted to ‘prop’ and lost much of his lead.
1957 J. Kerouac On the Road iii. ix. 234 A long Nebraskan straightaway.
1966 J. Pearl Crucifixion of Pete McCabe (1967) iii. 30 Once they were on the wide main highway, McCabe relaxed... Donovan could not get in too much trouble on the straightaway.
1978 L. Pryor Viper ii. 31 I backed off the throttle for the U-turn at the end of the straightaway.
C. adv.
Also (esp. in earlier use) written as two words. Immediately, at once, without deliberation or preparation. Cf. straightway adv. 2.
ΘΠ
the world > time > relative time > immediacy > [adverb]
soonc825
ratheeOE
rathelyeOE
rekeneOE
rekenlyOE
thereright971
anonOE
forth ona1000
coflyc1000
ferlyc1000
radlyOE
swiftlyc1000
unyoreOE
yareOE
at the forme (also first) wordOE
nowOE
shortlya1050
rightOE
here-rightlOE
right anonlOE
anonc1175
forthrightc1175
forthwithalc1175
skeetc1175
swithc1175
with and withc1175
anon-rightc1225
anon-rights?c1225
belivec1225
lightly?c1225
quickly?c1225
tidelyc1225
fastlyc1275
hastilyc1275
i-radlichec1275
as soon asc1290
aright1297
bedenea1300
in little wevea1300
withoute(n dwella1300
alrightc1300
as fast (as)c1300
at firstc1300
in placec1300
in the placec1300
mididonec1300
outrightc1300
prestc1300
streck13..
titec1300
without delayc1300
that stounds1303
rada1325
readya1325
apacec1325
albedenec1330
as (also also) titec1330
as blivec1330
as line rightc1330
as straight as linec1330
in anec1330
in presentc1330
newlyc1330
suddenlyc1330
titelyc1330
yernec1330
as soon1340
prestly1340
streckly1340
swithly?1370
evenlya1375
redelya1375
redlya1375
rifelya1375
yeplya1375
at one blastc1380
fresha1382
ripelyc1384
presentc1385
presently1385
without arrestc1385
readilyc1390
in the twinkling of a looka1393
derflya1400
forwhya1400
skeetlya1400
straighta1400
swifta1400
maintenantc1400
out of handc1400
wightc1400
at a startc1405
immediately1420
incontinent1425
there and then1428
onenec1429
forwithc1430
downright?a1439
agatec1440
at a tricec1440
right forth1440
withouten wonec1440
whipc1460
forthwith1461
undelayed1470
incessantly1472
at a momentc1475
right nowc1475
synec1475
incontinently1484
promptly1490
in the nonce?a1500
uncontinent1506
on (upon, in) the instant1509
in short1513
at a clap1519
by and by1526
straightway1526
at a twitch1528
at the first chop1528
maintenantly1528
on a tricea1529
with a tricec1530
at once1531
belively1532
straightwaysa1533
short days1533
undelayedly1534
fro hand1535
indelayedly1535
straight forth1536
betimesc1540
livelyc1540
upononc1540
suddenly1544
at one (or a) dash?1550
at (the) first dash?1550
instantly1552
forth of hand1564
upon the nines1568
on the nail1569
at (also in, with) a thoughtc1572
indilately1572
summarily1578
at one (a) chop1581
amain1587
straightwise1588
extempore1593
presto1598
upon the place1600
directly1604
instant1604
just now1606
with a siserary1607
promiscuously1609
at (in) one (an) instant1611
on (also upon) the momenta1616
at (formerly also on or upon) sight1617
hand to fist1634
fastisha1650
nextly1657
to rights1663
straightaway1663
slap1672
at first bolt1676
point-blank1679
in point1680
offhand1686
instanter1688
sonica1688
flush1701
like a thought1720
in a crack1725
momentary1725
bumbye1727
clacka1734
plumba1734
right away1734
momentarily1739
momentaneously1753
in a snap1768
right off1771
straight an end1778
abruptedly1784
in a whistle1784
slap-bang1785
bang?1795
right off the reel1798
in a whiff1800
in a flash1801
like a shot1809
momently1812
in a brace or couple of shakes1816
in a gird1825
(all) in a rush1829
in (also at, on) short (also quick) order1830
straightly1830
toot sweetc1830
in two twos1838
rectly1843
quick-stick1844
short metre1848
right1849
at the drop of a (occasionally the) hat1854
off the hooks1860
quicksticks1860
straight off1873
bang off1886
away1887
in quick sticks (also in a quick stick)1890
ek dum1895
tout de suite1895
bung1899
one time1899
prompt1910
yesterday1911
in two ups1934
presto changeo1946
now-now1966
presto change1987
1663 S. Tuke Adventures of Five Hours i. 7 We Prisoners made, were hurri'd streight away To their Quarters.
1885 P. M. Thornton Harrow School 80 We read of a Mr. Thomas Page,..to whom was paid £306. 16s. 6. straight away.
1910 Sphere 20 Aug. p. vi/1 Radley flies a mile straight~away at a speed of 75 miles an hour.
1911 Sir W. Ramsay in Expositor Apr. 360 He assumes straight away that the end of man and the aim of man's life is to be righteous.
1923 Daily Mail 26 May 9 It was so evident that Evander had been badly hurt that he was straightaway withdrawn.
1948 M. Laski Tory Heaven v. 65 I said straightaway..that I'd like to be a land-agent.
1978 Church Times 23 June 14/1 I would confess straightaway that I have often envied my Anglican brethren when I was in the pastoral ministry.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1933; most recently modified version published online March 2020).
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adj.n.adv.1663