straighten out

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, ↑ameliorate, ↑meliorate
• Verb Frames:
-

Somebody ——s something

2. extricate from entanglement (Freq. 1)
-

Can you disentangle the cord?

• Syn: ↑disentangle, ↑unsnarl
• Ant: ↑snarl (for: ↑unsnarl), ↑entangle (for: ↑disentangle)
• Derivationally related forms: ↑unsnarling (for: ↑unsnarl), ↑disentanglement (for: ↑disentangle)
• Hypernyms: ↑order
• Hyponyms: ↑tease, ↑tease apart, ↑loosen, ↑ravel, ↑unravel, ↑ravel out
• Verb Frames:
-

Somebody ——s something

-

Something ——s something

-

They straighten out their hair

3. change for the better (Freq. 1)
-

The lazy student promised to reform

-

the habitual cheater finally saw the light

• Syn: ↑reform, ↑see the light
• Derivationally related forms: ↑reformatory (for: ↑reform), ↑reform (for: ↑reform), ↑reformation (for: ↑reform)
• Hypernyms: ↑better, ↑improve, ↑ameliorate, ↑meliorate
• Verb Group: ↑reform, ↑reclaim, ↑regenerate, ↑rectify
• Verb Frames:
-

Something ——s

-

Somebody ——s

4. make free from confusion or ambiguity; make clear
-

Could you clarify these remarks?

-

Clear up the question of who is at fault

• Syn:
• Derivationally related forms: ↑elucidative (for: ↑elucidate), ↑lucidity (for: ↑elucidate), ↑elucidation (for: ↑elucidate), ↑illumination (for: ↑illuminate)
• Hypernyms: ↑clarify, ↑clear up, ↑elucidate
• Verb Frames:
-

Somebody ——s something

5. make straight
• Syn: ↑straighten
• Derivationally related forms: ↑straightener (for: ↑straighten)
• Hypernyms: ↑change, ↑alter, ↑modify
• Hyponyms:
↑untwist, ↑unbend, ↑extend, ↑channelize, ↑channelise, ↑untwine, ↑unweave, ↑comb
• Verb Frames:
-

Something ——s

-

Somebody ——s

-

Somebody ——s something

-

Something ——s something

6. put (things or places) in order
-

Tidy up your room!

• Syn: ↑tidy, ↑tidy up, ↑clean up, ↑neaten, ↑straighten, ↑square away
• Hypernyms: ↑order
• Hyponyms: ↑make, ↑make up, ↑houseclean, ↑clean house, ↑clean
• Verb Frames:
-

Somebody ——s something

* * *

straighten out [phrasal verb]
1 straighten out (something) or straighten (something) out : to deal with (something) successfully

I need more time to straighten out my problems.

2 a straighten out or straighten out (something) or straighten (something) out : to improve in behavior or condition

He straightened out after joining the army.

The problem will not straighten out on its own.

You need to straighten your life out.

2 b straighten (someone) out or straighten out (someone) : to improve the behavior of (someone)

Her parents sent her to boarding school to straighten her out.

• • •
Main Entry: ↑straighten

Useful english dictionary. 2012.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • 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 …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • 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 …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • 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 — index arrange (methodize), disabuse, disentangle, fix (arrange), fix (settle), negotiate …   Law dictionary

  • 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 — 1) PHRASAL VERB If you straighten out a confused situation, you succeed in getting it organized and tidied up. [V P n (not pron)] He would make an appointment with him to straighten out a couple of things... [V n P] My sister had come in with her …   English dictionary

  • straighten out — verb a) To make straight. Straighten out your necktie and comb your hair. b) To correct or rectify. Then bring them to me, she said. And when the tinsmiths came, bringing with them all their tools in baskets, she inquired, Can you straighten out… …   Wiktionary

  • 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) …   Словарь американских идиом

  • straighten out — phr verb Straighten out is used with these nouns as the object: ↑mess, ↑thing …   Collocations dictionary

  • straighten out — Synonyms and related words: accommodate, acculturate, adjust, admonish, advance, ameliorate, amend, arrange, better, boost, bring forward, bring to book, bring to terms, call to account, chastise, chide, civilize, close, close with, compose,… …   Moby Thesaurus

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