punch line. I need a straight man to
pick up on all my jokes. I’m tired of be-
ing a straight man for a has-been comic.straight shootern. an honest person. (See
also straight arrow.) I trust Mike; he’s
a straight shooter. We need a straight
shooter in office who will work for the peo-
ple rather than some political party.
straight talkn. direct and honest talk.
It’s about time for a little straight talk
around here. If they want straight talk
and can handle straight talk, give ’em
straight talk.
straight up 1. mod. upright. A fine
guy—really straight up. She is one of the
most straight up brokers in town. 2. mod.
without ice; neat. I’ll have a bourbon,
straight up, please. No, not straight up.
Just a little ice. 3. mod. sunny-side up;
having to do with eggs cooked with yel-
low yolks facing straight up. Tw o e g g s ,
straight up, and a cup of coffee. I like
my eggs straight up, but the white part has
to be cooked solid.
strange birdGo to odd bird.
strapn. an athlete, not necessarily male.
(From jockstrap.) A whole gang of
straps came in the bar and ordered milk.
The guy’s a strap all right, but he’s not
dumb.
straphangern. a subway passenger. I
didn’t think I could get used to being a
straphanger. Straphangers learn to blot
out their surroundings.
strapped 1. mod. broke; short of money.
I’m sorry I can’t pay you right now. I’m
strapped. They’re really strapped for
money at the present time. 2. mod. wear-
ing a gun holster. Be careful. He’s
strapped. I see it under his jacket.
strap someone with someone or some-
thingtv. to burden someone with some-
one or something. (Often passive.)
Don’t you try to strap me with your baby
brother! She was strapped with too
many bills to pay each month.
straw 1. n. marijuana. (Drugs.) He stood
right on the corner, selling straw by the
handful from a bucket at his feet—and no-
body even called the cops. This straw is
not the best quality I’ve seen. 2. n. papers
for rolling marijuana cigarettes. (Drugs.)
I need some straw. I can’t manage the
straw with one hand. How do these cow-
boys do it?
strawberryn. a pimple from drinking ex-
cessively. (See also toddy blossom.)
His disability made itself manifest by the
occasional strawberry. That’s a fine
strawberry on your snoot.
straw bossn. a foreman; anyone who is
second in command. The straw boss
gave the order, and off we went. I don’t
mind being a straw boss as long as they
pay me.
streak 1. in. to move rapidly from one
place to another. The train streaked
into the station and came to a stop just
inches from the end of the track. I’ve got
to streak over to the library in a big hurry.- in. to run about in a public place
naked. This kid was streaking back and
forth until the cops caught him. He
streaked on a dare. 3. tv. to grace or or-
nament a public place or event with a
naked run. Charles streaked the base-
ball game, but nobody noticed him. I
wanted to streak her party but decided
against it. 4. n. a naked run in a public
place. (See also streaker.) There was a
streak at the end of the game, but people
were leaving then and didn’t see it. That
was no streak; that was the coach in his
long underwear being chased by the owner
of the team. 5. n. an exciting time; a wild
party. That rally was a streak! We
had a streak at Tom’s.
streakern. someone who runs naked in
public places. The streaker ran through
a glass door and was severely injured.
Streakers seemed to take over the whole
country in 1973.
thestreet 1. n. the real, free world, as op-
posed to prison. The street just isn’t the
same as stir. It’s good to be back on the
street. 2. n. Wall Street in New York City.
(Usually capitalized.) The Street doesn’t
seem to believe the policymakers in Wash-
ington. If you want excitement and
stress, the Street is the place to be.
straight shooter