What Does Straight Laced Mean

Strait-Laced Pregnant

Definition: Having or showing very strict moral attitudes; constabulary constant; morally upstanding.

The right spelling of this phrase is strait-laced. Referring to something as straight-laced is a confusion of the words strait and straight, which are non the aforementioned.

Nowadays, strait is far less common than directly, but information technology remains in phrases similar strait and narrow, strait-laced, and dire straits.

Origin of Strait-Laced

This term comes from a women'southward article of clothing item: a bodice. Women wear this garment on the upper torso, and information technology is similar to a vest. People spike it with ties or laces. A adult female with a strait-laced bodice has the bodice laced tightly.

This term finds its showtime printed sources from the 15th century. One of the first impress sources is John Lydgate'south 1430 poem My Fayr Lady.

Hire crowpe doth the semys shrede, Whan they so streyght lasyd been.

This is written in Eye English, so some of the words and spellings are different than that of Modern English language. It loosely translates into her barrel ripped the seams of her clothes, which were previously strait-laced.

This, of course, is a comedic poem.

The term expanded by the 1500s to include someone who is rigid in his or her beliefs.

Examples of Strait-Laced

In this example, a man uses the expression when giving advice.

Rodrigo: Alisha, you seem stressed lately. What's up?

Alisha: Nix much. I've just been having a few problems at work recently.

Rodrigo: Actually? Tell me about it.

Alisha: I've been trying actually hard to make certain all my work is perfect, and I'g exhausted all the time. It would exist worth it if my bosses recognized and rewarded my hard work, but they don't!

Rodrigo: Can I offer yous some advice? Don't be then strait laced. Yous follow the rules likewise often, and worry besides much virtually obeying each and every detail of policy. If you lot relaxed a little, you'd exist less stressed, and have more than free energy to be more than creative.

Alisha: Well, I would practise that if I could, only it's simply not my personality.

straight laced meaning In the case beneath, two friends are discussing the fancy dinner party they just finished throwing.

Luis: That was fun! We should do that over again sometime.

Stephanie: I'm glad you lot had fun. I was miserable!

Luis: Why do you say that?

Stephanie: Well, you lot were having all these great conversations with the guests, and laughing and enjoying yourself. No one seemed to want to talk to me!

Luis: I guess yous're right. You're merely so strait laced. Yous worry too much well-nigh existence proper and polite, and you can't just let go and have fun.

More Examples

This extract is nearly a girl who became fond to drugs.

For Stephany Gay from Illinois, it all started when she was a direct-laced teenager suffering with kidney stones. The pills didn't just offer her relief. "It numbed my feelings, and fabricated me feel, similar, okay about everything," says Gay, who was soon taking far more than she was supposed to. –Washington Mail service

This excerpt is well-nigh basketball game players who can at present have a variety of hairstyles. In the past, the rules were stricter about the haircuts that were allowed.

So for many Cavaliers players, hairstyle is a class of self-expression within a famously strait-laced programme. –Chicago Tribune

Summary

Strait laced is an describing word phrase that describes someone who adheres rigorously to rules and to their moral beliefs.

It is sometimes mistakenly spelled equally direct-laced, as in the Washington Post example in a higher place.