adverb | adjective | noun
straightstraight1 /streɪt/ ●●● S1 W2 adverb 1IN A LINE in a line or direction that is not curved or bent: Terry was so tired he couldn’t walk straight.straight ahead/at/down etc. She walked straight past me. He combs his hair straight back. He looked me straight in the eye and lied!2IMMEDIATELY [+ adj./adv.] immediately or without delay: straight to/down/back etc. Let’s get straight down to business. You should have gone straight to the police. Be sure to come straight home.3ONE AFTER THE OTHER happening one after the other in a series, especially an unusually long series: It’s rained for eight days straight.4LEVEL/UPRIGHT in an upright or level position or in a position that is correct in relation to something else: I can’t get the picture to hang straight.sit/stand up straight Sit up straight and pay attention.5SEE/THINK if you cannot think or see straight, you cannot think or see clearly6tell/ask somebody straight (out) spoken to tell someone something clearly without trying to hide your meaning: I asked her straight out if she was lying.7come straight out and say/admit/tell etc. something (also come straight out with something) spoken to tell someone something without waiting8say something straight to somebody’s face (also tell somebody something straight to their face spoken) to say something to someone in a very clear and direct way, especially something that will offend or upset him or her: I told him straight to his face what I thought of him.9straight out of something very much like something in a particular kind of movie, book, etc.: a main street straight out of a 1950s movie10go straight informal to stop being a criminal and live an honest life11straight up slang used to emphasize that what you are saying is true12straight up? slang used to ask someone if he or she is telling the truth13NOT FUNNY performed in a serious way rather than a funny way → see also (straight/right) from the horse’s mouth at horse1 (2) adverb | adjective | noun
straightstraight2 ●●● S3 W3 adjective 1
NOT BENDING/CURVING something that is straight goes in one direction and does not bend or curve: a straight road Keep your legs straight. She has straight black hair (=hair without curls). Light always travels in a straight line.2LEVEL/UPRIGHT level or upright, or in the correct position in relation to something else: Is my tie straight?3ONE AFTER ANOTHER immediately one after another in a series, especially in an unusually long series: an amazing record of 43 straight wins She won the game in straight sets.4TRUTHFUL honest and truthful: Just give me a straight yes or no.straight with Are you going to be straight with me or not? Jack never gives me a straight answer. Voters need more straight talk.5SEXUAL ATTRACTION attracted to people of the opposite sex SYN heterosexual6a straight face a serious expression on someone’s face that does not show that he or she is joking or saying something untrue: How can you say that with a straight face? I couldn’t keep a straight face. → see also straightfaced7get straight A’s/B’s etc. to earn the grade “A,” “B,” etc. in all of your school subjects8ALCOHOLIC DRINKS a straight alcoholic drink has no water or any other drink added9NOT FUNNY not involving or involved in comedy: a straight role → see also straight man10ONLY ONE TYPE completely one particular type of something: It’s not a straight historical novel.11BORING old-fashioned disapproving behaving in a way that is accepted as normal by many people but which you think is boring12CHOICE/EXCHANGE a straight choice, exchange, etc. involves only two possible choices, exchanges, etc.SPOKEN PHRASES13get something straight to understand the facts about a situation and be able to tell them correctly: I wanted to get the facts straight. Let me get this straight – you just want lettuce for dinner.14set somebody straight (on something) to make someone understand the facts about a situation15set things straight to do something or say something to solve a problem or fix a mistake16DRUGS slang not using illegal drugs17NOT OWING somebody MONEY [not before noun] old-fashioned not owing money to someone or being owed money by someone anymore SYN even[Origin: 1300–1400 from an old past participle of stretch] → see also set/put/keep the record straight at record1 (9) adverb | adjective | noun
straightstraight3 noun [countable] 1[usually plural] someone who is sexually attracted to people of the opposite sex SYN heterosexual2the straight and narrow an honest and moral way of living: The program keeps the kids on the straight and narrow.3if you have a straight in a card game, you have been given several cards whose numbers are consecutive, for example 2, 3, 4, 5, 64the straight the straight part of a racetrack SYN straightaway