Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English - straight

~1 adv 1 »IN A STRAIGHT LINE« moving in a straight line  (straight ahead/at/down/in front of etc)  (The book is on the table straight in front of you. | She was looking straight at me. | We're stuck in the middle of the road with this truck heading straight towards us. | She walked straight past me. | Terry was so tired he couldn't walk straight. | The cat sat in front of him, its tail stretched out straight.) 2 »IMMEDIATELY« + adj/adv immediately or without delay  (straight to/after/down/back etc)  (Let's get straight down to business. | Go straight home and tell your mother. | We can meet straight after lunch.) 3 »ONE AFTER THE OTHER« happening one after the other in a series, especially an unusually long series  (He's been without sleep now for three days straight.) 4 »SEE/THINK« if you cannot think or see straight, you cannot think or see clearly  (Turn the radio down, I can't think straight.) 5 tell sb straight/straight out spoken to tell someone something clearly without trying to hide your meaning  (She told him straight out that she wouldn't work on Saturday. | straight to his/her face)  (I'll tell him straight to his face what I think of him.) 6 go straight informal to stop being a criminal and live an honest life  (Tony's been trying to go straight for about six months.) 7 straight off also straight away BrE spoken immediately or at once  (I guessed it was you straight off.) 8 straight up BrE spoken a) used to ask someone if they are telling the truth  ("The shoes cost -250." "Straight up?") b) used to emphasize that what you are saying is true  (I don't know where she is, straight up.) 9 straight from the shoulder AmE informal expressed plainly and directly, without trying to avoid unpleasantness 10 damn straight AmE spoken used to explain that something is completely true or right  (Damn straight that's good.) ~2 adj 1 »NOT BENDING OR CURVING« something such as a line or road that is straight goes in one direction and does not bend or curve  (Anne loved Rome with its open spaces and long straight avenues. | in a straight line)  (After five beers I was incapable of walking in a straight line | straight hair (=hair without curls)) 2 »LEVEL/UPRIGHT« level, upright, or flat in position or shape  (Stand up straight. | Is my tie straight?) 3 »ONE AFTER ANOTHER« immediately one after another in a series, especially in an unusually long series  (an amazing record of 43 straight wins) 4 »TIDY« a room that is straight is clean and tidy and everything is in its proper place  (I'm trying to get the room straight before your parents get here.) 5 »TRUTHFUL« honest and truthful  (be straight with sb)  (Are you going to be straight with me or not? | a straight answer)  (It's difficult to get a straight answer out of him. | straight talk/honesty)  (No more of this fancy playing with words - I want some straight talk here.) 6 get this/it straight spoken to understand the true facts about a situation  (Let me get this straight - Tom sold the car and gave you the money?) 7 set/put sb sth straight (about) to make someone understand the true facts about a situation  (Tell him to ask Ruth - she'll put him straight. | set/put the record straight)  (I'd like to put the record straight about Bill's resignation.) 8 get/put/set things straight (between) spoken to deal with the small problems you have in your relationship with someone  (I think it's best to get things straight from the start. This job is not easy.) 9 »CHOICE/FIGHT« a straight choice or contest involves only two possible choices or opponents  (The election is seen as a straight fight between the Socialists and the ruling coalition. | How about a straight swap, my U album for this one?)  (- see also straightforward (2)) 10 »NOT LIMITED« simple and not limited by any conditions; straightforward (3)  (Did you do it? Just give me a straight yes or no.) 11 a straight face someone who has a straight face looks serious although they really want to smile or laugh  (keep a straight face)  (She looked so ridiculous it was hard to keep a straight face.) 12 »ALCOHOLIC DRINKS« alcoholic drinks that are straight have no water or ice or any other liquid added; neat (4)  (I like my vodka straight.) 13 »NORMAL« slang someone who is straight behaves in a way that is accepted as normal by many people but which you think is dull and boring  (Dave's OK, but his wife is really straight.) 14 »NOT OWING SB MONEY« no longer owing money to someone or being owed money by someone  (If you give me -10 then we're straight.) 15 »SEX« slang heterosexual 16 »DRUGS« slang not using drugs ~3 n 1 slang someone who is attracted to people of the opposite sex 2 slang someone who is not a drug user 3 especially BrE the straight part of a racetrack; straightaway AmE 4 keep to/stray from the straight and narrow humorous to live in an honest and moral way, or to fail to do this