{v. phr.} To elicit such a strong applause from the
audience that the show is interrupted. •/Pavarotti’s rendition of "O sole
mio" always stops the show./
[stop up]
{v. phr.} To block; close. •/If you want to get rid of the
leak, you must stop up the two holes you have in the ceiling./
[store]
See: DIME STORE, IN STORE, SET STORE BY, VARIETY STORE.
[storm]
See: TAKE BY STORM.
[story]
See: OLD STORY, SOB STORY, UPPER STORY.
[stow away]
{v.} 1. {informal} To pack or store away. •/After New
Year’s Day the Christmas decorations were stowed away until another season./
2. To hide on a ship or another kind of transportation to get a free ride.
•/John ran away from home and stowed away on a freighter going to Jamaica./
[straight]
See: GO STRAIGHT, SHOOT STRAIGHT.
[straighten out]
{v.} To correct a mistake; make you realize you are
wrong. •/The teacher saw Jim’s awkward sentence on the board and asked for
volunteers to straighten it out./ •/Sometimes only a good spanking will
straighten out a naughty child./ Syn.: SQUARE AWAY(2).
[straighten up]
{v.} To put in order; make neat. •/Vic had to
straighten up his room before he could go swimming./ •/Mrs. Johnson
straightened up the house before company came./ Compare: PICK UP(6b), SQUARE
AWAY.
[straight face]
{n.} A face that is not laughing or smiling. •/Mary
told all the funny stories she knew to try to make Joan laugh, but Joan kept a
straight face./ •/It is hard to tell when Jim is teasing you. He can tell a
fib with a straight face./ •/When Bob fell into the water, he looked funny
and I could hardly keep a straight face./
[straight from the horse’s mouth]
{slang} Directly from the person or
place where it began; from a reliable source or a person that cannot be
doubted. •/They are going to be married. I got the news straight from the
horse’s mouth — their minister./ •/John found out about the painting
straight from the horse’s mouth, from the painter himself./
[straight from the shoulder]
{adv. phr.}, {informal} In an open and
honest way of speaking; without holding back anything because of fear or
politeness or respect for someone’s feelings; frankly. •/John asked what he
had done wrong. Bob told him straight from the shoulder./ •/The candidate
for Congress spoke out against his opponent’s dishonesty straight from the
shoulder./ Contrast: PULL ONE’S PUNCHES.
[straightlaced]
{adj.} Of very strict morals and manners. •/She is so
straightlaced that she won’t even go out with a man unless she senses that he
is serious about her./
[straight off]
{adv. phr.} At once; immediately. •/After school is
over, you come home straight off, and don’t waste time./ •/He asked his
father for the car, but his father said straight off that he couldn’t have
it./
[straight out]
See: RIGHT OUT.
[straight shooters]
See: SHOOT STRAIGHT.
[straight ticket]
{n.} A vote for all the candidates of a single party.
•/Uncle Fred was a loyal member of his party. He always voted the straight
ticket./ Contrast: SPLIT TICKET.