straight as a die
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English[edit]
Etymology[edit]
- Used in the sense of ‘correct,’ attested since April, 1871, originally American English, from the 18th-century expression as true as a die, from the 16th-century expression as smooth as a die, referring to the osseous substance that dice were formerly created with.[1]
- Possibly connected with, or confused with, the metal-cutting tool called a die.
Pronunciation[edit]
Audio (AU) (file)
Adjective[edit]
straight as a die (not comparable)
- (simile) Completely or totally straight.
References[edit]
- ^ Gary Martin (1997–) “Straight as a die”, in The Phrase Finder, retrieved 26 February 2017.