straightly
straightly Lexical Profile
straightly Game Scores & Validity
• adverb
In a straight line, posture, or direct course; without curving or deviating.
"The tall pines grew straightly toward the canopy above the forest floor."
In a direct, frank, or honest manner; without evasion or ambiguity.
"She answered every question straightly and without hesitation during the inquiry."
Word Nuance & Usage
In modern standard English, the flat adverb 'straight' is strongly preferred over 'straightly' in nearly all physical and figurative contexts (e.g., 'go straight home' or 'look straight ahead'). 'Straightly' is now rare or archaic, and historically it was also confused or spelled interchangeably with 'straitly' (meaning strictly, narrowly, or tightly).
• Rhymes for straightly
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Formed in Middle English as 'streightli', from the adjective 'straight' (originating from Old English 'streht', the past participle of 'streccan', meaning 'to stretch') plus the adverbial suffix '-ly'.