straighten
gb/stɹˈeɪtən/ us/stɹˈeɪtən/
A2
English
~ 1900
kiegyenesít, megigazít, rendbe tesz, kiegyenesedik, rendbe hoz, rendez, tisztáz
VERB
A2
1
Usage pattern:
to straighten [something]
She straightened the picture frame before leaving the room.
Megigazította a képkeretet, mielőtt kiment a szobából.
He paused to straighten his tie in the mirror.
Megállt egy pillanatra, hogy megigazítsa a nyakkendőjét a tükörben.
I need to straighten the books on the shelf.
The cleaner straightened the chairs after the meeting.
Straighten your posture when you walk.
Learner examples
I straighten my bed every morning.
Minden reggel rendbe teszem az ágyamat.
She straightens her hair with a brush.
Kefével megigazítja a haját.
Please straighten the chairs after lunch.
He straightens his tie before work.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'straighten' with 'stretch'. 'Straighten' means to make straight; 'stretch' means to pull to make longer or looser.
Meaning
Make something straight
Collocations
straighten a picture
|straighten your tie
|straighten the room
|straighten the desk
|straighten the bed
Synonyms
align (Emphasizes positioning things in a straight line.)
|
tidy (Focuses on making things neat, not necessarily physically straight.)
Antonyms
bend (Means to make something curved or not straight.)
|
mess up (Means to make something untidy or disordered.)
Themes
daily life
|home
|appearance
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To make something that is not straight become straight or neat.
To cause something that is bent, curved, messy, or out of order to become straight, neat, or properly arranged.
VERB
B1
2
Usage pattern:
[something] straightens
His back slowly straightened after he stood up.
Miután felállt, lassan kiegyenesedett a háta.
The road straightens after the bend.
A kanyar után kiegyenesedik az út.
Her hair straightens when it dries naturally.
Learner examples
The road straightens after the hill.
A domb után kiegyenesedik az út.
My back straightens when I stand tall.
Amikor kihúzom magam, kiegyenesedik a hátam.
Her hair straightens in the sun.
Meaning
Become straight
Collocations
hair straightens
|line straightens
|posture straightens
Synonyms
unbend (Specifically about removing a bend or curve.)
Antonyms
bend (Means to curve or make less straight.)
Themes
daily life
|appearance
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To change into a straight or neat form.
To change from being bent, curved, messy, or out of order to being straight, neat, or properly arranged.
VERB
B1
3
Usage pattern:
to straighten [something] out
We need to straighten out this misunderstanding before it gets worse.
Tisztáznunk kell ezt a félreértést, mielőtt még rosszabbra fordul.
He spent the weekend trying to straighten out his finances.
A hétvégét azzal töltötte, hogy megpróbálta rendbe hozni a pénzügyeit.
The new manager came in to straighten out the department's problems.
Learner examples
I want to straighten out this problem.
Szeretném rendbe hozni ezt a problémát.
We must straighten out our money issues.
Rendbe kell hoznunk a pénzügyi gondjainkat.
She will straighten out the team problems.
Common mistake:
Learners may forget 'out' in 'straighten out' when talking about fixing problems.
Meaning
Correct a problem or situation
Collocations
straighten out a problem
|straighten out finances
|straighten out misunderstanding
Synonyms
resolve (Focuses on finding a solution to a problem.)
|
sort out (Informal way of saying fix or arrange a situation.)
Antonyms
complicate (To make a situation more difficult instead of fixing it.)
Themes
problem solving
|daily life
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To make a problem or situation better and more organized.
To take action to fix, organize, or improve a situation that is problematic or disorganized.
Grammar
Dictionary form
straighten
IPA
GB/stɹˈeɪtən/
US/stɹˈeɪtən/
Syllables & stress
straight - en (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (straight)
Word forms
Verb
- Base: straighten
- 3rd Person Singular: straightens
- Present Participle: straightening
- Past: straightened
Word family
Forms
straightens
verb
straightening
verb
straightened
verb
Core family
straight
adjective A1
straightener
noun
Related words
straightness
noun
straightforward
adjective B1
Negative and opposite forms
bend
verb A2
crooked
adjective
Advanced or less common
straightforwardly
adverb
Expressions
straighten out
1/stɹˈeɪtən ˈaʊt/
phrasal verb
Fix a problem or confusion
To make a problem clear and correct it.
Examples
- We need to straighten out this billing error.
- She called the company to straighten out the delivery issue.
straighten up
1/stɹˈeɪtən ˈʌp/
phrasal verb
Make neat or tidy
To make a place clean and organized.
Examples
- Please straighten up your room before dinner.
- They spent the afternoon straightening up the office.
straighten up and fly right
1/stɹˈeɪtən ˈʌp ˈænd flˈaɪ ɹˈaɪt/
idiom
informal
Start behaving properly
To behave well after doing wrong or being lazy.
Examples
- If you don't straighten up and fly right, you'll lose your job.
- He decided to straighten up and fly right after getting in trouble at school.