straight

Definition

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

Etymology

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”). Doublet of straught. Equivalent to stretch + -ed. In some senses, conflated with strait (“narrow, constricted”), which is from Latin strictus via Old French estreit.

Example Sentences

• "I do not like crooked, twisted, blasted trees. I admire them much more if they are tall, straight and flourishing."
• "“Heavens!” exclaimed Nina, “the blue-stocking and the fogy!—and yours are pale blue, Eileen!—you’re about as self-conscious as Drina—slumping there with your hair tumbling à la Mérode! Oh, it's very picturesque, of course, but a straight spine and good grooming is better.[…]”"
• "The other people, I presume, are supposed to be standing to attention, but they're all smiling at me. The lines are not even straight."