Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Strait
Strait
,Adj.
[
Com
par.
Straiter
; sup
erl.
Straitest
.] 1.
Narrow; not broad.
Strait
is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. Matt. vii. 14.
Too
strait
and low our cottage doors. Emerson.
2.
Tight; close; closely fitting.
Shak.
3.
Close; intimate; near; familiar.
[Obs.]
“A strait degree of favor.” Sir P. Sidney.
4.
Strict; scrupulous; rigorous.
Some certain edicts and some
strait
decrees. Shakespeare
The
straitest
sect of our religion. Acts xxvi. 5 (Rev. Ver.).
5.
Difficult; distressful; straited.
To make your
strait
circumstances yet straiter
. Secker.
6.
Parsimonious; niggargly; mean.
[Obs.]
I beg cold comfort, and you are so
And so ingrateful, you deny me that.
strait
,And so ingrateful, you deny me that.
Shakespeare
Strait
,adv.
Strictly; rigorously.
[Obs.]
Shak.
1.
A narrow pass or passage.
He brought him through a darksome narrow
To a broad gate all built of beaten gold.
strait
To a broad gate all built of beaten gold.
Spenser.
Honor travels in a
Where one but goes abreast.
strait
so narrowWhere one but goes abreast.
Shakespeare
2.
Specifically: (Geog.)
A (comparatively) narrow passageway connecting two large bodies of water; – often in the plural;
as, the
strait
, or straits
, of Gibraltar; the straits
of Magellan; the strait
, or straits
, of Mackinaw.We steered directly through a large outlet which they call a
strait
, though it be fifteen miles broad. De Foe.
3.
A neck of land; an isthmus.
[R.]
A dark
strait
of barren land. Tennyson.
4.
Fig.: A condition of narrowness or restriction; doubt; distress; difficulty; poverty; perplexity; – sometimes in the plural;
as, reduced to great
. straits
For I am in a
strait
betwixt two. Phil. i. 23.
Let no man, who owns a Providence, grow desperate under any calamity or
strait
whatsoever. South.
Ulysses made use of the pretense of natural infirmity to conceal the
straits
he was in at that time in his thoughts. Broome.
Strait
,Verb.
T.
To put to difficulties.
[Obs.]
Shak.
Webster 1828 Edition
Strait
STRAIT
,Adj.
1.
Narrow; close; not broad.Strait is the gate, and narrow is the way that leadeth to life, and few there be that find it. Matthew 7.
2.
Close; intimate; as a strait degree of favor.3.
Strict; rigorous.He now, forsooth, takes on him to reform some certain edicts, and some strait decrees.
4.
Difficult; distressful.5.
Straight; not crooked.STRAIT
,Noun.
1.
A narrow pass or passage, either in a mountain or in the ocean, between continents or other portions of land; as the straits of Gibraltar; the straits of Magellan; the straits of Dover. [In this sense, the plural is more generally used than the singular, and often without any apparent reason or propriety.]2.
Distress; difficulty; distressing necessity; formerly written streight. [Used either in the singular or plural.]Let no man who owns a providence, become desperate under any calamity or strait whatsoever.
Ulysses made use of the pretense of natural infirmity to conceal the straits he was in at that time in his thoughts.
STRAIT
,Verb.
T.
Definition 2024
strait
strait
See also: Sträit
English
Adjective
strait (comparative straiter, superlative straitest)
- (archaic) Narrow; restricted as to space or room; close.
- Emerson
- too strait and low our cottage doors
- 1866, Algernon Swinburne, Aholibah, lines 53-55
- Sweet oil was poured out on thy head
- And ran down like cool rain between
- The strait close locks it melted in.
- 1900, Ernest Dowson, To One in Bedlam, lines 3-5
- Those scentless wisps of straw, that miserably line
- His strait, caged universe, whereat the dull world stares,
- Pedant and pitiful.
- Emerson
- (archaic) Righteous, strict.
- to follow the strait and narrow
- 1597, William Shakespeare, Henry IV, Part 1, IV. iii. 79:
- Bible, Acts xxvi. 5 (Rev. Ver.)
- the straitest sect of our religion
- (obsolete) Tight; close; tight-fitting.
- 1613, William Shakespeare, The Two Noble Kinsmen, III. vi. 86:
- (obsolete) Close; intimate; near; familiar.
- Sir Philip Sidney
- a strait degree of favour
- Sir Philip Sidney
- (obsolete) Difficult; distressful; straited.
- Secker
- to make your strait circumstances yet straiter
- Secker
- (obsolete) Parsimonious; niggardly; mean.
- 1596, William Shakespeare, The Life and Death of King John, V. vii. 42:
- I beg cold comfort, and you are so strait, / And so ingrateful, you deny me that.
- 1596, William Shakespeare, The Life and Death of King John, V. vii. 42:
Usage notes
The adjective is often confused with straight.
Derived terms
Noun
strait (plural straits)
Sketch of a strait connecting two larger bodies of water.
- (geography) A narrow channel of water connecting two larger bodies of water.
- The Strait of Gibraltar
- De Foe
- We steered directly through a large outlet which they call a strait, though it be fifteen miles broad.
- A narrow pass or passage.
- Spenser
- He brought him through a darksome narrow strait / To a broad gate all built of beaten gold.
- 1602, William Shakespeare, Troilus and Cressida, III. iii. 154:
- For honour travels in a strait so narrow / Where one but goes abreast.
- Spenser
- A neck of land; an isthmus.
- Tennyson
- a dark strait of barren land
- Tennyson
- A difficult position (often used in plural).
- to be in dire straits
- South
- Let no man, who owns a Providence, grow desperate under any calamity or strait whatsoever.
- Broome
- Ulysses made use of the pretense of natural infirmity to conceal the straits he was in at that time in his thoughts.
Derived terms
Translations
narrow channel of water
|
|
a difficult position
|
Verb
strait (third-person singular simple present straits, present participle straiting, simple past and past participle straited)
- (obsolete) To put to difficulties.
- (Can we find and add a quotation of Shakespeare to this entry?)
Adverb
strait (comparative more strait, superlative most strait)
- (obsolete) Strictly; rigorously.
- 1593, William Shakespeare, Henry VI, Part 2, III. ii. 20:
- Proceed no straiter 'gainst our uncle Gloucester
- 1593, William Shakespeare, Henry VI, Part 2, III. ii. 20: