straight arrow
2
5.9
- noun
- Informal
:
persona honesta
- Whoever takes that slot has to be a straight arrow.
- a straight arrow with good
Examples
-
He is what you call a straight arrow.
Fiction book (1996) -
She's a straight arrow.
-
Do you think they're straight arrows?
-
I mean, she's such a straight arrow.
-
Mopes is a straight arrow.
Fiction book (2002) -
He's a pretty straight arrow for an artist, Danny.
Fiction book (1996) -
Ralph was very straight arrow, very strict, very, very respectful to Robert's mother.
-
Ralph was very straight arrow, very strict, very, very respectful to Robert's mother.
-
He is known as a straight arrow because he always tells the truth and keeps his promises.
-
In a world full of dishonesty, finding someone who is a straight arrow is refreshing.
Synonyms
13
3.7
A person who tells the truth in a direct, honest way
3
6.3
A person people trust because they tell the truth and do not cheat
A person who is honest and tells the truth
Antonyms
How Honest
- Informal
2
5.9
- Offensive
707
1.0
Surface Forms
Morphology
straight + arrow
The adjective 'straight' can mean honest and 'arrow' evokes something that flies straight, so the phrase relies on a metaphorical mapping (an arrow's straightness → a person's honesty). This connection is partly transparent but requires a figurative leap that a B1 learner who knows the words may not automatically make, so the expression is best classified as semi-transparent.
Etymology
Straight arrow comes from the simple picture of a straight arrow flying straight to its target and not bending. So someone called a straight arrow is 'honest' and follows the rules.