to play it straight
5
4.2
- phrasal verb
:
ser honesto
- Listen, I'm just gonna play it straight with you, Carl, because you know what?
I said you floor plan me, I'll play it straight with you.
- I said you floor plan me, I'll play it straight with you.
Examples
-
Everyone played it straight.
Blog text (2) -
So that's what we'll do, we'll play it straight.
-
You know, just play it straight.
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And we're gonna play it straight.
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It's my last game, and I wanna play it straight.
-
Oh, I could play it straight.
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I wanted to play it straight.
Fiction book (1991) -
I'd like to play it straight this time, okay?
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There'’s not much you can do but play it straight till it'’s over.
-
In order to build trust with your team, it's best to play it straight and be honest about your decisions.
Synonyms
23
2.3
Act honestly and follow the rules in a game or situation
7
3.4
Talk honestly without hiding facts or feelings
3
7.8
To speak honestly and directly, even if it may cause trouble
Antonyms
How Honest
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly derivable from 'play' (to act or feign) + 'straight' (heterosexual): together they convey 'act/pretend to be straight', while 'it' functions as a filler/dummy pronoun. This verb + adjective composition follows a transparent pattern, so a B1 learner who knows the constituent meanings would likely infer the intended sense.
Etymology
Play it straight comes from the theatre idea of a 'straight' actor who played the serious, honest role and did not joke. So, to play it straight means to behave honestly and directly, without tricks.