strait

[ streyt ]

noun

1. Often straits. (used with a singular verb) a narrow passage of water connecting two large bodies of water.
2. Often straits. a position of difficulty, distress, or need:

   Ill and penniless, he was in sad straits indeed.

   Synonyms: plight, predicament, dilemma, pinch, exigency

   Antonyms: ease

3. Archaic. a narrow passage or area.
4. an isthmus.

adjective

, Archaic.

1. narrow:

   Strait is the gate.

2. affording little space; confined in area.
3. strict, as in requirements or principles.

strait

/ streɪt /

noun

1. often plural
   1. a narrow channel of the sea linking two larger areas of sea
   2. ( capital as part of a name )

      the Strait of Gibraltar

2. often plural a position of acute difficulty (often in the phrase in dire or desperate straits )
3. archaic.
   a narrow place or passage

adjective

1. (of spaces, etc) affording little room
2. (of circumstances, etc) limiting or difficult
3. severe, strict, or scrupulous

strait

/ strāt /

1. A narrow waterway joining two larger bodies of water. The Strait of Gibraltar, for example, connects the Mediterranean Sea with the Atlantic Ocean.

Derived Forms

• ˈstraitly, adverb
• ˈstraitness, noun

Other Words From

• straitly adverb
• straitness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of strait¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English streit “narrow, a strait,” from Old French estreit “narrow, tight,” from Latin strictus, past participle of stringere “to tighten, bind”; strain ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of strait¹

C13: from Old French estreit narrow, from Latin strictus constricted, from stringere to bind tightly

Synonym Study

See emergency.

Example Sentences

For decades in Australia, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander kids were removed from their families as part of an assimilation policy from successive governments.

From BBC

Speaking to reporters, Taiwan's National Security Bureau Director-General Tsai Ming-yen said: "On relations across the Taiwan Strait, we believe that the US will continue its current approach of constraining China and being friendly to Taiwan."

From BBC

"Her decision to let borrowing rip make a total nonsense of her claims on the state of the public finances, because if they were truly in such a dire strait, as she has said, what we should have seen today was a significant reduction in borrowing to repair them, not the splurge that she has just unleashed."

From BBC

And while the figures indicate a majority of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people voted 'Yes', support wasn’t unanimous.

From BBC

Daniel Williams, who is of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent, agreed.

From BBC

Related Words

• predicament