play it straight
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English[edit]
Pronunciation[edit]
Audio (AU) (file)
Verb[edit]
play it straight (third-person singular simple present plays it straight, present participle playing it straight, simple past and past participle played it straight)
- (idiomatic) To behave in a manner that is straightforward, honest, or sincere.
- 1911, Basil King, chapter 16, in The Street Called Straight:
- "The position you'd put me in would be this—of playing a game—and a jolly important game at that—in which the loser loses to me on purpose. . . . If we're going to play a game," he continued, addressing Davenant, before the latter had time to speak, "for Heaven's sake let us play it straight—like men. Let the winner win and the loser lose—"
- 1992 July 29, Gwen Ifill, “The 1992 Campaign: Clinton counters on foreign policy”, in New York Times, retrieved 2 Sept 2017:
- He added, "I think the American people want a President who will play it straight in foreign policy, tell them the truth."
- (idiomatic, performing arts) To perform a role in a manner that is not comedic or exaggerated.
- 1998 March 11, Mark Coatney, “Lloyd Bridges, 1913-1998”, in Time, retrieved 2 Sept 2017:
- And how can you not admire a man who could star in a stinker like Battlestar Galactica—and play it straight?
- 2001 December 2, Leslie Kandell, “Jersey Footlights: Playing It Straight”, in New York Times, retrieved 2 Sept 2017:
- Peter Schickele, the musical satirist and radio show host whose PDQ Bach Christmas concerts sell out Carnegie Hall each year, is not known for playing it straight.
- (idiomatic) To avoid criminal behavior.
- Synonym: go straight
- 1976 July 11, Nicholas, “Don't call me an informant”, in New York Times, retrieved 2 Sept 2017:
- "But the best thing about him is that he always played it straight with us—never double‐dealed, giving us two and keeping one for himself."
- 2013 October 7, Jim Harger, “'The Wolf of Wall Street' lectures Economic Club of Grand Rapids on ethics”, in MLive Media Group, retrieved 2 Sept 2017:
- Belfort, who made millions on Wall Street before the FBI indicted him and he served nearly two years in federal prison, told the audience he could have made a lot more money if he had played it straight.
- 2017 July 19, Matt Lakin, “Jake Butcher, disgraced East Tennessee banking kingpin, dies”, in Knoxville News Sentinel, retrieved 2 Sept 2017:
- "They could have made a fortune just playing it straight, but that wasn't enough for them," said Gill. . . . The brothers ultimately pleaded guilty to federal charges of conspiracy and bank fraud.
Translations[edit]
to behave in a manner that is straightforward, honest, or sincere
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to avoid criminal behavior
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