Skip to main content
straitly

straitly

9.9
In great hardship with little food or money
  • adverb
  • /ˈstreɪtli/
  • Archaic
translation icon : severamente
  • After the harvest failed, the family lived straitly, unable to buy even basic supplies.

Examples

  • The family lived straitly during the Great Depression.

  • During the famine, many villagers were straitly pressed for food and shelter.

  • The law was straitly enforced, leaving no room for exceptions.

  • He lived straitly but managed to stay optimistic.

  • After the harvest failed, the family lived straitly, unable to buy even basic supplies.

  • During the famine, many villagers were straitly pressed for food and shelter.

  • The law was straitly enforced, leaving no room for exceptions.

Synonyms

harshly
vsstraitly
49 3.5

In a severe or unkind way that feels unpleasant

applies to strict difficulty or urgent distress rather than personal unkindness
grimly
vsstraitly
27 5.5

In a serious and determined way without showing any joy

expresses strict hardship or urgent distress rather than stern attitude
agonizingly
vsstraitly
  • US
4 7.4

In a way that causes very strong physical pain or deep worry

emphasizes severe hardship or strictness rather than physical pain
direly
vsstraitly
1 7.5

In a very serious and urgent way

focuses more on strict hardship and severe difficulty than urgency
direfully
vsstraitly
  • Archaic
9.9

In a way that shows great fear or warns of danger

focuses on severe difficulty or strict urgency instead of fear or dread

Antonyms

1.0

Without much effort

19 1.3

With little worry and no stress

How Severe

desperately
366 3.6
straitly
  • Archaic
9.9
hard
1.0
easily
1.0

Surface Forms

straitly positive

Morphology

straitly = strait (opaque) = strait + ly

Although morphologically derived from 'strait', this adverbial sense ('with hardship' or 'severely') depends on an archaic/figurative noun sense of 'strait' that learners are unlikely to connect to the literal sense 'narrow'.

Etymology

Straitly also had an older sense from strait, the idea of a 'narrow' place where you are 'squeezed', so it could mean being in 'trouble' or 'need'. That's why straitly could mean living in 'great need' or under very hard conditions.