straighten someone out — straighten (someone) out to cause someone s behavior or character to improve. I thought marriage would straighten him out but it hasn t. He plays the part of an uncle trying to straighten out a troubled teenager … New idioms dictionary
straighten (someone) out — vb British to bribe or corrupt (someone). A euphe mistic term in use among criminals and police officers. ► We wanted to straighten out a magistrate, but we couldn t get to any of them in time … Contemporary slang
straighten out — straighten (someone) out to cause someone s behavior or character to improve. I thought marriage would straighten him out but it hasn t. He plays the part of an uncle trying to straighten out a troubled teenager … New idioms dictionary
straighten out — verb 1. settle or put right (Freq. 2) we need to iron out our disagreements • Syn: ↑iron out, ↑put right • Hypernyms: ↑better, ↑improve, ↑amend, ↑ … Useful english dictionary
straighten — straight|en [ˈstreıtn] v 1.) [I and T] also straighten out to become straight, or to make something straight ▪ Can you straighten your leg? 2.) [i]also straighten up to make your back straight, or to stand up straight after bending down 3.) [T] … Dictionary of contemporary English
straighten — verb 1 also straighten out (I, T) to become straight or make something straight: Straighten your tie. | The road twisted and turned and then straightened out. 2 also straighten up (I) to make your back straight, or to stand up straight after… … Longman dictionary of contemporary English
out of kilter — {adj. phr.}, {informal} 1. Not balanced right; not in a straight line or lined up right. * /The scale must be out of kilter because when I weighed myself on it, it said 300 pounds./ * /The wheels of my bicycle were out of kilter after it hit the… … Dictionary of American idioms
out of kilter — {adj. phr.}, {informal} 1. Not balanced right; not in a straight line or lined up right. * /The scale must be out of kilter because when I weighed myself on it, it said 300 pounds./ * /The wheels of my bicycle were out of kilter after it hit the… … Dictionary of American idioms
straighten — straight|en [ streıtn ] verb * straighten or straighten out intransitive or transitive to make something straight: He put on his jacket and straightened his tie. She straightened her shoulders and marched into the room. ,straighten out phrasal… … Usage of the words and phrases in modern English
straighten out — phrasal verb Word forms straighten out : present tense I/you/we/they straighten out he/she/it straightens out present participle straightening out past tense straightened out past participle straightened out 1) [intransitive/transitive] same as… … English dictionary
straighten out — to bribe You induce another to follow the line which you indicate. We also use the phrase of our forceful, but usually unavailing, correction of someone with a different opinion to our own … How not to say what you mean: A dictionary of euphemisms
