strait

Meaning

Adj

1. (archaic) Narrow; restricted as to space or room; close.
2. (archaic) Righteous, strict.
3. (obsolete) Tight; close; tight-fitting.
4. (obsolete) Close; intimate; near; familiar.
5. (obsolete) Difficult; distressful.
6. (obsolete) Parsimonious; stingy; mean.
7. (alt-of, obsolete) Obsolete spelling of straight.

Noun

1. A narrow channel of water connecting two larger bodies of water.
2. A narrow pass, passage or street.
3. A neck of land; an isthmus.
4. (in-plural, often) A difficult position.

Verb

1. (obsolete, transitive) To confine; put to difficulties.
2. (obsolete, transitive) To tighten.

Adv

Strictly; rigorously.

Synonyms

channel

narrow

sound

🔉

straits

distress

close

pass

gorge

narrows

stringent

pinch

plight

dire straits

strict

predicament

cramped

ravine

neck

confined

constricted

nigh

parochial

particular

perplexity

poky

quandary

rigid

route

short

small

thronged

tight

uncleared

uncomfortable

waterway

waterways

Str

circumscribed

contracted

crowded

difficult

difficulty

distressed

embarrassing

fix

gut

hardship

hot water

incommodious

inconvenient

Translations

détroit

stretto

estrecho

estreito

Meerenge

Straße

straat

nauw

zeestraat

boğaz

Enge

fauces

kanaal

zeeëngte

Pronounced as (IPA)

/stɹeɪt/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: streit

In summary

From Middle English streit, from Old French estreit (modern form étroit), from Latin strictus, perfect passive participle of stringō (“compress, tighten”). Doublet of stretto and strict.