strait (n.)

mid-14c., streit, "narrow, confined space or place," especially narrow pass or passage between hills; by late 14c. in reference to a narrow passage of water connecting two larger bodies; from Anglo-French estreit, estrait "narrow part, pass, defile, narrow passage of water," variant of Old French estroit, a noun use of the adjective (for which see strait (adj.)).

Often in plural, straits. The sense of "difficulty, plight" (usually plural) is recorded by 1540s. For strait and narrow "conventional or wisely limited way of life," see straight (adj.2).

also from mid-14c.

strait (adj.)

c. 1300, streit, "narrow, not wide" (of a path or way); "tightly pulled" (of sewing, binding); "close-fitting" (of garments); "strict, exacting, stern" (of rulers, laws, etc.), from Anglo-French estreit, estrait, variants of Old French estroit "tight, close-fitting, constricted, narrow" (Modern French étroit), from Latin strictus, past participle of stringere (2) "bind or draw tight" (see strain (v.)).

Of a way of life, "severely restricted, austere," c. 1400. Of a garment, strait-waisted is by c. 1400. It has been more or less confused with unrelated straight (adj.), as both have been spelled in both forms. Related: Straitly; straitness.

also from c. 1300

Entries linking to strait

straight (adj.1)

early 14c., streight, of the body, "not bent or curved, not bent," like a string stretched tight or drawn out, etymologically, "stretched" (a sense once current but now obsolete); from adjectival use of Old English streht (earlier streaht), past participle of streccan "to stretch" (see stretch (v.)). Related: Straightly; straightness.

By late 14c. of a line, street, etc., "direct, undeviating;" by early 15c. of a person, "direct, honest;" of conduct, "free from crookedness," 1520s.

Of communication, "clear, unreserved, unambiguous," by 1862. The sense of "undiluted, unmixed, pure" (as in straight whiskey, 1874) is American English, attested by 1856. The meaning "continuous, unbroken" (six straight days) is by 1899; compare use of the noun in poker (1841). The theatrical sense of "serious" (as opposed to popular or comic) is attested by 1895; vaudeville slang straight man for one of a comedy duo is attested by 1906.

Straight arrow "decent, conventional person" is 1969, from a stereotypical Native American brave name. Straight shooter "honest person" is from 1928. Straight As "top grades" is from 1920. Straight-razor is by 1959, after other sorts had come along.

For "not homosexual," see straight (adj.2).

strain (v.)

c. 1300, streinen, "tie, bind, fasten, gird;" early 14c., "confine, restrain" (a body part, animal, etc.), senses now obsolete, from present-participle stem of Old French estreindre "bind tightly, clasp, squeeze," from Latin stringere (2) "draw tight, bind tight, compress, press together."

This is reconstructed to be from PIE root *streig- "to stroke, rub, press" (source also of Lithuanian strėgti "congeal, freeze, become stiff;" Greek strangein "twist;" Old High German strician "mends nets;" Old English streccian "to stretch;" German stramm, Dutch stram "stiff").

Strain is attested from late 14c. as "tighten; stretch, extend; make taut; stretch to the utmost tension," also, intransitive, "exert oneself, strive; exert a compelling force;" also "overexert (a body part), injure by overstretching."

The sense of "press through a filter, put (a liquid) through a strainer" to purify from extraneous matter is from late 14c. (implied early 14c. in strainer); that of "to stress beyond measure, carry too far, make a forced interpretation of" is from mid-15c. Related: Strained; straining.

Transitive strain at "make a difficulty of" (1580s) echoes Matthew xxiii.24 (strain at a gnat; Tyndale has the line as Ye blind guides, which strain out a gnat, and swallow a camel), in which the sense seems to be "will strain the liquor if they find (but) a gnat in it."

straiten

strait-jacket

strait-laced

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