Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • transitive verb To put or bring into difficulties or distress, especially financial hardship.
  • transitive verb To make narrow.
  • transitive verb To enclose in a limited area; confine.
  • transitive verb To restrict in latitude or scope.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • To make strait or narrow; narrow; contract; diminish.
  • To confine; hem in.
  • To draw tight; tighten.
  • To hamper; inconvenience; restrict.
  • To press hard, as with want or difficulties of any kind; distress; afflict with pecuniary difficulties: as, to be straitened in money matters.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • transitive verb To make strait; to make narrow; hence, to contract; to confine.
  • transitive verb To make tense, or tight; to tighten.
  • transitive verb To restrict; to distress or embarrass in respect of means or conditions of life; -- used chiefly in the past participle; -- as, a man straitened in his circumstances.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • verb Common misspelling of straighten.
  • verb To make strait; to narrow or confine to a smaller space.
  • verb To restrict or diminish, especially financially.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • verb squeeze together
  • verb bring into difficulties or distress, especially financial hardship

Etymologies

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Examples

  • Religious vision and religious imagination do not straiten but enrich political and ethical discourse, and the religions, precisely because they deal with the ultimate destiny of every man and woman, are called to be a prophetic force for human liberation and development throughout the world, particularly in areas torn by hostility and conflict.

    Life Issues 2009

  • Maybe someone should go after the folks who set up the rules for the Bassmaster Classic and get them to straiten it out.

    On First Female Classic Contender 2009

  • Religious vision and religious imagination do not straiten but enrich political and ethical discourse, and the religions, precisely because they deal with the ultimate destiny of every man and woman, are called to be a prophetic force for human liberation and development throughout the world, particularly in areas torn by hostility and conflict.

    Insight Scoop | The Ignatius Press Blog 2009

  • Religious vision and religious imagination do not straiten but enrich political and ethical discourse, and the religions, precisely because they deal with the ultimate destiny of every man and woman, are called to be a prophetic force for human liberation and development throughout the world, particularly in areas torn by hostility and conflict.

    Politics 2009

  • Religious vision and religious imagination do not straiten but enrich political and ethical discourse, and the religions, precisely because they deal with the ultimate destiny of every man and woman, are called to be a prophetic force for human liberation and development throughout the world, particularly in areas torn by hostility and conflict.

    Culture of Death 2009

  • Religious vision and religious imagination do not straiten but enrich political and ethical discourse, and the religions, precisely because they deal with the ultimate destiny of every man and woman, are called to be a prophetic force for human liberation and development throughout the world, particularly in areas torn by hostility and conflict.

    The Pope addresses the U.S. health care situation 2009

  • Religious vision and religious imagination do not straiten but enrich political and ethical discourse, and the religions, precisely because they deal with the ultimate destiny of every man and woman, are called to be a prophetic force for human liberation and development throughout the world, particularly in areas torn by hostility and conflict.

    Pope Benedict XVI 2009

  • Religious vision and religious imagination do not straiten but enrich political and ethical discourse, and the religions, precisely because they deal with the ultimate destiny of every man and woman, are called to be a prophetic force for human liberation and development throughout the world, particularly in areas torn by hostility and conflict.

    Social doctrine 2009

  • Religious vision and religious imagination do not straiten but enrich political and ethical discourse, and the religions, precisely because they deal with the ultimate destiny of every man and woman, are called to be a prophetic force for human liberation and development throughout the world, particularly in areas torn by hostility and conflict.

    Insight Scoop | The Ignatius Press Blog: 2009

  • Religious vision and religious imagination do not straiten but enrich political and ethical discourse, and the religions, precisely because they deal with the ultimate destiny of every man and woman, are called to be a prophetic force for human liberation and development throughout the world, particularly in areas torn by hostility and conflict.

    Current Affairs 2009

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