straightway

English

Etymology 1

straight +‎ way

Alternative forms

• straightaway

Pronunciation

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Noun

straightway (plural straightways)

1. A straight section of a racetrack.

Etymology 2

From straight +‎ way. First attested in the sense of "directly".

Adverb

straightway (not comparable)

1. (dated) Synonym of straightaway or straight away (at once, immediately).
   • 1848 April – 1849 October, E[dward] Bulwer-Lytton, chapter I, in The Caxtons: A Family Picture, volume II, Edinburgh, London: William Blackwood and Sons, published 1849, →OCLC, part IX, page 88:

     Now, if in a stage coach in the depth of winter, when three passengers are warm and snug, a fourth, all besnowed and frozen, descends from the outside and takes place amongst them, straightway all the three passengers shift their places, uneasily pull up their cloak collars, re-arrange their "comforters," feel indignantly a sensible loss of caloric—the intruder has at least made a sensation.

   • 1885–1888, Richard F[rancis] Burton, transl. and editor, “Night 547”, in A Plain and Literal Translation of the Arabian Nights’ Entertainments, now Entituled The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night […], Shammar edition, volume (please specify the volume), [London]: […] Burton Club […], →OCLC:

     Now one day of the days, […] the Sultan cast his eyes upon her as she stood before him, and said to his Grand Wazir, "This be the very woman whereof I spake to thee yesterday, so do thou straightway bring her before me, that I may see what be her suit and fulfil her need."

   • 1900 May 17, L[yman] Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Chicago, Ill., New York, N.Y.: Geo[rge] M. Hill Co., →OCLC:

     This made her angrier than before, and she blew her silver whistle twice. Straightway a great flock of wild crows came flying toward her, enough to darken the sky.

2. (nonstandard) Directly.
   • 1890, Philip Schaff, NPNF1-03: On the Holy Trinity; Doctrinal Treatises; Moral Treatises, page 96:

     But like as eyes not strong enough to look upon the sun yet do gladly look upon the objects which are by the sun enlightened, so, souls which have already strength to delight in the beauty of chastity are yet not straightway able to consider in her very self that truth which charity hath her light, insomuch that when it cometh to the doing of somewhat that is adverse to truth, they should so start back in horror as they do start back in horror if aught be proposed to be done that is adverse to chastity.

   • 1983, Official Report of the 1983 Annual General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day-Saints, Volumes 153-157:

     Those who continually prefer to stir up waters find that they create only a whirlpool and are carried around in circles rather than progressing straightway.

   • 2002, India. Parliament. House of the People, India. Parliament., Lok Sabha Debates, page 13:

     The National Highway 33-34 in these three districts cannot be operated even during light monsoon because the water level goes straightway into the road.

   • 2012, Wedha-Pointblank Arrow Form Vaastushastra Perceptive:

     Moreover an idol in a temple if situated straightway to our main entrance as if persistently gazing posture; thus emits detrimentally harmful vibes. Vaastushastra, therefore, says that such idols emit highly charged damaging energies.

Translations

at once

• Bulgarian: веднага (bg) (vednaga), незабавно (bg) (nezabavno)

directly

• Bulgarian: право (bg) (pravo), направо (bg) (napravo)
• Dutch: ^{(please verify)} meteen (nl), ^{(please verify)} onmiddellijk (nl), ^{(please verify)} direct (nl)