(the), subs. (old London).—See quot. 1816. [NARES: ‘formerly frequented by profligates; a Cant name.] See BERMUDAS.
1614. JONSON, Bartholomew Faire, ii. 6. Over. Look into any angle o’ the town (the STREIGHTS, or the Bermudas) where the quarrelling lesson is read.
| Ibid., Epistle to Earl of Dorset. | |
| Turn pirates here at land, | |
| Have their Bermudas, and their STREIGHTS i’ the Strand. |
1816. GIFFORD, The Works of Ben Jonson. Note to above. Cant-names then given to the places frequented by bullies, knights of the post, and fencing masters…. These STREIGHTS consisted of a nest of obscure courts, alleys, and avenues, running between the bottom of St. Martin’s Lane, Half-moon, and Chandos-street.
Adj. (colloquial).—STRAIGHT, generic for honesty, has, like ROUND (q.v.), and SQUARE (q.v.), a large colloquial vogue. Thus a STRAIGHT (= an exact) thinker; a STRAIGHT (= a chaste) PIECE (q.v.); a STRAIGHT (= an out-and-out) TORY: hence STRAIGHT-OUT = thorough-going; STRAIGHT (= NEAT: also duty-paid) WHISKEY; STRAIGHT (= candid) SPEECH; STRAIGHT (= honest) PEOPLE, LIVING, etc.; STRAIGHT (= honestly acquired) GOODS: also of persons = SQUARE (q.v.); a STRAIGHT (= a trustworthy) TIP, GRIFFIN, etc. (q.v.); a STRAIGHT (= an unsmiling) FACE; STRAIGHT (or STRAIGHT-OUT = outright, thorough; STRAIGHT UP AND DOWN (IN THE STRAIGHT, or ON THE STRAIGHT) = plain, honest, free from crookedness of all kinds; OUT OF THE STRAIGHT = dishonest, crooked.
1848. J. R. LOWELL, The Biglow Papers, 88.
| I’m a STRAIGHT-spoken kind o’ creetur, | |
| That blurts right out wut ’s in his head. |
1856. New York Courier, Sept. In the Presidential contest of 1844, no man was more fierce in his hostility to Henry Clay than the present candidate of the STRAIGHT Whigs for the Vice-Presidency.
1871. New York Times, 7 March. When Hon. Frank P. Blair, then Democratic candidate for Vice-President of the United States declared, in a speech from the steps of the Manhattan Club, that the main plank in the Democratic platform was ‘whisky STRAIGHT,’ he probably shocked a few of his more orthodox and respectable hearers.
1886. E. M. NICHOLL, Impressions of a Modern Arcadian, in The Fortnightly Review, n.s., xxxix. 1 Jan., 76. Dissipating their rare and precious cash on ‘whisky STRAIGHT’ in the ever-recurring bar-rooms.
1886. St. James’s Gazette, 11 Nov. ‘The husband of Lady Usk, a virtuous lady, who, as we are frequently told, is perfectly STRAIGHT and all that sort of thing.’
1887. Referee, 17 April. ‘But going to first principles, nothing can be STRAIGHTER or more likely to work to an employer’s interest than for his jockey to back his own mount.’
1872. Nation, 22 Aug., 113. Other STRAIGHT-OUTS, as they call themselves … cannot take Grant and the Republicans. Ibid. (1888), 6 Dec., 459, 3. He shows himself to be a man of wide reading, a pretty STRAIGHT thinker, and a lively and independent critic.
1891. N. GOULD, The Double Event, 22. He’s got the STRAIGHT griff for something.
1895. A. HOPE, The Fly on the Wheel, in The Windsor Magazine, 117. 1.
| 4.45.— | Now let’s see—two, four, six, seven. Good! I’m IN THE STRAIGHT now! | |
| 5.0.— | Thank Heaven, that’s done! Now I suppose I must read the thing over. |
1897. MARSHALL, Pomes, 9. ‘If that isn’t a good ’un,’ the bookie cried, ‘I’ll forfeit a fiver, STRAIGHT.’
1901. Free Lance, 30 Nov., 217. 1. Uncommonly sharp sons, who, if they live, and run STRAIGHT, may get into the Cabinet or do anything else.
1902. LYNCH, High Stakes, xxix. When he had me locked in with him he gave me the STRAIGHT tip.
1903. BART KENNEDY, A Sailor Tramp, xix. What do I know about him? Why that he’s all right. That he’s STRAIGHT GOODS.
IN THE STRAIGHT, adv. phr. (common).—Nearing the end; within sight of a finish; orig. a racing term.
STRAIGHT AS A POUND OF CANDLES (or AS A LOON’S LEG), adv. phr. (common).—As honest as may be. Also ‘as STRAIGHT as the backbone of a herring (RAY), as a die, arrow,’ etc.
1748. SMOLLETT, Roderick Random, xiii. My hair … hung down upon my shoulders, as lank and STRAIGHT AS A POUND OF CANDLES.
1834. C. A. DAVIS, Letters of Jack Downing, Major, 42. They puzzled at a settlement all winter; but I saw thru’ it in a minute, and made it all AS STRAIT AS A LOON’S LEG.
STRAIGHT! intj. (common).—Fact! Honest Injun!
1890. CHEVALIER, The Coster’s Courtship. ‘Straight,’ says I, ‘I’m on the job, for better or for wuss.’
