{"id":10382,"date":"2022-11-16T22:55:36","date_gmt":"2022-11-16T22:55:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/?p=10382"},"modified":"2022-11-16T22:55:36","modified_gmt":"2022-11-16T22:55:36","slug":"straight-and-narrow-meaning","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/straight-and-narrow-meaning\/","title":{"rendered":"Straight and Narrow \u2013 Meaning, Origin and Usage"},"content":{"rendered":"

Have you seen the phrase 'straight and narrow' <\/strong>somewhere and would like to know what the saying means and where it comes from? The phrase 'straight and narrow' <\/strong>is a common saying in the English language that refers to following an acceptable moral path. This post unpacks the meaning and common use of the phrase.<\/p>\n

Meaning<\/h2>\n

'Straight and narrow' <\/strong>is a common figurative saying used in the English language.<\/u><\/p>\n

When someone is following the 'straight and narrow'<\/strong>, then their superior or improved morality is implied by the phrase.<\/u><\/p>\n

The 'straight and narrow' <\/strong>assumes that someone is avoiding negative things in their life,<\/u> and implies that they are following a brighter moral path.<\/u><\/p>\n

The path implied by the phrase 'straight and narrow' <\/strong>is a figurative one, and refers to the potential life decisions that someone might make.<\/u><\/p>\n

The phrase can be used as a direct denial form, to say that someone is 'not following the straight and narrow' <\/strong>for their life or the decision being discussed. 'Not the straight and narrow' <\/strong>can be used to imply the same when said.<\/p>\n

The phrase 'straight and narrow'<\/strong> can be used to make a statement, ask a question, or respond to another speaker who has said (or asked) something.<\/u><\/p>\n

The phrase 'straight and narrow' <\/strong>is rarely used in a literal context, though figuratively has implications of morality or decisionmaking when written or said.<\/p>\n

The phrase 'the right path' <\/strong>can also be used in a serious or joking context to say that someone is following the 'straight and narrow' way.<\/p>\n

Example Usage<\/h2>\n

\u201cI swear, I won't add pineapple to any more customers' orders, especially if they didn't ask for any of it. I'm going to be on the straight and narrow path from now on.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI've given my life to the Spaghetti Monster, I'm on the straight narrow for the rest of my life.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen someone has decided to follow the straight and narrow for most of their life, it's really sad when they just cross the road one day and get hit by a bus.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you follow the straight and narrow, you might not always be rich but I'm pretty sure that you're always going to be happy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Origin<\/h2>\n

According to most online language resources, early use and possible original etymology for the phrase 'straight and narrow' can be traced back to the 1900s.<\/p>\n

The phrase could have originally referred to 'strait and narrow', which would have referred to a predetermined road in the literal sense.<\/p>\n

Somewhere during the 1900s, use of the phrase became mostly figurative and would now refer to questions of morality rather than issues of direction or literal paths.<\/p>\n

The phrase is common as an English expression, and is used as a full phrase to imply a good path ('straight and narrow') versus a morally corrupt one.<\/p>\n

The website Urban Dictionary lists the phrase twice, first in 2004 and then again in 2006.<\/p>\n

Phrases Similar to Straight and Narrow<\/h2>\n
    \n
  • The right path<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    Phrases Opposite to Straight and Narrow<\/h2>\n
      \n
    • The crooked way<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      What is the Correct Saying?<\/h2>\n
        \n
      • Straight and narrow<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

        Ways People May Say Straight and Narrow Incorrectly<\/h2>\n

        There are several ways in which someone can use the phrase 'straight and narrow' in the wrong way, or misunderstand the saying when it is used.<\/p>\n

        Someone does not literally mean that they are following a straight or narrow path, but the expression is figurative to imply a path of moral correction.<\/p>\n

        The phrase can be spelled as 'strait and narrow' in historical context (around the 1800s), though is kept as 'straight and narrow' for modern use.<\/p>\n

        Acceptable Ways to Phrase Straight and Narrow<\/h2>\n

        The phrase 'straight and narrow' can be used to say that someone is going on a morally correct path, as opposed to the opposite.<\/p>\n

        Someone who is 'on the straight and narrow' is implied to be morally sound, while someone who is 'not on the straight and narrow' would imply the opposite.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

        Have you seen the phrase 'straight and narrow' somewhere and would like to know what the saying means and where it comes from? The phrase 'straight and narrow' is a common saying in the English language that refers to following an acceptable moral path. This post unpacks the meaning and common use of the phrase. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10382"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10382"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10382\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10384,"href":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10382\/revisions\/10384"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10382"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10382"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10382"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}