‘Straight’ expressions

The word ‘straight’ is associated with an important metaphor, and as a result gives us a number of useful expressions by Nilesh Jahagirdar

Straight dope

This is a slang, informal expression that refers to ‘unadulterated, complete truth or information.’ For example, you might say: ‘‘While most news channels cover entertainment more than actual news, i like this new channel because it gives me the straight dope.’ In usage, the expression is always preceded by the article ‘the.’ When you ask someone for ‘the straight dope,’ you are asking them to tell you the truth, complete and without any coverup.

Here is another example: ‘My father never tried to hide the harsh realities of the world from me. Whenever I asked him a question, he always gave me the straight dope.’

A straight arrow

Mostly used in American English, ‘straight arrow’ describes someone who is honest and straightforward. For example, you might say: ‘I hope my friends all describe me as a straight arrow, because I try to be honest and direct in all my interactions with them.’ Beyond honest and straightforward, ‘straight arrow’ also implies that someone is well-behaved, or careful about their behavior in social situations.

The role of the metaphor ‘straight’ should be clear in this context. Someone who is a straight arrow is predictable and reliable, and certainly the opposite of ‘devious’ or ‘crooked.’

Get something straight

In conversational English, this expression is particularly useful in a specific context. If a friend tells you something, and you want to confirm that you have understood her correctly, you can start your sentence with this expression.

Here is an example: ‘OK,so let me get this straight. You want me to go there in the morning to pick up your book?’ In terms of meaning, the expression essentially says ,‘please confirm this for me.’

However, the expression is particularly useful in situations where you paraphrase something someone has said, in such a way that you make it sound wrong, and thereby express your disagreement. Here is an example: ‘OK, so let me get this straight. You don’t want to use your credit card online because of security fears, but you are asking ME to use my credit card for you?’

This article was originally posted in The Hindu