Not so surprisingly, a strait can be straight, but only in the archaic sense. So do pay attention. Unlike another writer whose work I read. Hmm-mm, “going through the straight”? I don’t think so. Not in that boat. I suppose it could have been a phase the character was going through, trying to go straight, but that certainly wasn’t the context of that paragraph. Mmmm, mmmm . . . no sirree.
The most common usage for strait is a geographic feature. After that it’s either the music group, which, ahem, disbanded in 1996 or that character is in serious trouble.
C’mon, it ain’t that hard to go straight — it’s a direct line. Add a g and an h, and it’s good.
Exploring Later . . .
You may want to explore “Anchorage, Haven, Moorage, and Roadstead“, “Arroyo vs Coulee vs Wadi vs Wash“, “Bay vs Bight vs Cove“, “Bayou vs Bog vs Marsh vs Swamp“, “Beach vs Coast vs Shore“, “Born vs Borne vs Bourn“, “Brook vs Burn vs Draw vs Lick“, “Canal vs Impoundment vs Moat vs Reservoir“, “Cay vs Key vs Quay“, “Channel vs Dyke vs Rill“, “Creak versus Creek“, “Dam versus Damn“, “Delta vs Estuary vs Rapids vs Source“, “Dock vs Pier vs Wharf“, “Firth vs Fjord vs Gulf“, “Harbor vs Marina vs Port vs Quay“, “Lakes: Kettle, Loch, Mere, and Oxbow“, “Ocean versus Sea“, “Peer versus Pier“, “River vs Stream vs Tributary“, “Rivulet vs Runnel vs Sike“, “Sea versus See“, and “Slew versus Slough“.
Word Confusions . . .
. . . started as my way of dealing with a professional frustration with properly spelled words that were out of context in manuscripts I was editing as well as books I was reviewing. It evolved into a sharing of information with y’all. I’m hoping you’ll share with us words that have been a bête noire for you from either end.
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| Straight | Strait |
|---|---|
 — |
 |
| Part of Grammar: | |
| Adjective; Adverb; Noun
Plural for noun: straights |
Adjective; Noun
Plural for noun: straits |
| Adjective: Extending or moving uniformly in one direction only
[Geometry; of a line] Lying on the shortest path between any two of its points
Properly positioned so as to be level, upright, or symmetrical
Not evasive
[Attributive] In continuous succession
[Of an alcoholic drink] Undiluted
[Especially of drama] Serious as opposed to comic or musical
Adverb:
In or into a level, even, or upright position Correctly
Without a break
Noun:
[Poker] A continuous sequence of five cards [Informal] A conventional person
|
Adjective: [Archaic; of a place] Of limited spatial capacity
Noun: Used in reference to a situation characterized by a specified degree of trouble or difficulty |
| Examples: | |
| Adjective: It was a long, straight road to the cabin. The shortest distance between two points is a straight line. And it’s a straight punch to the face with Mackie laid out. She has naturally straight hair. Straight skirts are in style this fall. He made sure his tie was straight before he went through the door. It’ll take a long time to get the place straight. Well, that was a straight answer. Thank you for being straight with me. It’s a straight choice between nuclear power and penury. He gave her a straight, no-nonsense look. I swear, man, I’m straight. He scored his fourth straight win. He generally voted a straight ticket. A brandy, straight. It was a straight drama with no deviations. She looked pretty straight in her school clothes. Dude, I’m straight. Let me get something straight. Johnny Carson was a master at keeping a straight face when he joked. Adverb: Keep straight on, and you’ll see it. After dinner we went straight back to our hotel. I fell into bed and went straight to sleep. I’ll fetch up the bath to you straight. He pulled his clothes straight. Sit up straight! He recognized his old love straight away. I’m so tired I can hardly think straight. I told her straight — the kid’s right. He remembered working sixteen hours straight. Noun: The rod flew back to the straight. He pulled a straight in the first draw. After this, I’m gonna go straight. |
Adjective: The road was so strait that a handful of men might have defended it. My captivity was strait as ever. Noun: The Strait of Bosporus connects the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara, splitting northwestern Turkey. I’m reading Taylor Anderson’s Straits of Hell in his Destroyermen series. The economy is in dire straits. A crippling disease could leave anyone in serious financial straits. |
| Derivatives: | |
| Adjective: straight-ahead, straight-cut, straight-faced, straight-laced, straight-line, straight-shooting, straight-talking, straight-thinking, straight-up, straightaway, straightedge, straightforward, straightish Adverb: straightaway, straightforwardly, straightly Noun: straight-eight, straight-six, straightaway, straightedge, straightener, straightforwardness, straightjacket, straightness Verb: straighten Verb, transitive: straight-arm |
Adjective: strait-laced, straitened Adverb: straitly Noun: straitjacket, straitness Verb: straiten Verb, transitive: straitjacketed, straitjacketing |
| History of the Word: | |
| Middle English, as an adjective and adverb, it’s an archaic past participle of stretch. | Middle English and a shortening of the Old French estreit meaning tight, narrow, from the Latin strictus meaning drawn tight. |
C’mon, get it out of your system, bitch, whine, moan . . . which words are your pet peeves? Also, please note that I try to be as accurate as I can, but mistakes happen or I miss something. Email me if you find errors, so I can fix them . . . and we’ll all benefit!
Satisfy your curiosity about other Word Confusions on its homepage or more generally explore the index of self-editing posts. You may also want to explore Book Layout & Formatting Ideas, Formatting Tips, Grammar Explanations, Linguistics, Publishing Tips, the Properly Punctuated, Writing Ideas and Resources, and Working Your Website.
Resources for Straight versus Strait
Apple Dictionary.com
Pinterest Photo Credits
Dire Straits: “Money for Nothing” (<https://visualhunt.com/f2/photo/6431303579/605212e462/>) by badgreeb RECORDS – art -photos is under the CC BY-SA license, via VisualHunt.
Revised as of 20 Apr 2024
By: Kathy Davie