"play it straight" meaning in English

See play it straight in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Verb

Audio: En-au-play it straight.ogg [Australia] Forms: plays it straight [present, singular, third-person], playing it straight [participle, present], played it straight [participle, past], played it straight [past]
Head templates: {{en-verb|*}} play it straight (third-person singular simple present plays it straight, present participle playing it straight, simple past and past participle played it straight)
  1. (idiomatic) To behave in a manner that is straightforward, honest, or sincere. Tags: idiomatic Translations (to behave in a manner that is straightforward, honest, or sincere): open kaart spelen (Dutch), met open kaart spelen (Dutch), olla rehellinen (Finnish), jouer cartes sur table (French), jouer franc jeu (French), mit offenen Karten spielen (German), nicht herumtricksen (German), giocare a carte scoperte (Italian), grać w otwarte karty [imperfective] (Polish), juca cinstit (Romanian), игра́ть в откры́тую (igrátʹ v otkrýtuju) [imperfective] (Russian)
    Sense id: en-play_it_straight-en-verb-hQfNpCAR Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header, English terms with placeholder "it" Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 43 39 18 Disambiguation of English terms with placeholder "it": 38 36 25 Disambiguation of 'to behave in a manner that is straightforward, honest, or sincere': 68 28 4
  2. (idiomatic, performing arts) To perform a role in a manner that is not comedic or exaggerated. Tags: idiomatic
    Sense id: en-play_it_straight-en-verb-Hyjw19l9 Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header, English terms with placeholder "it" Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 43 39 18 Disambiguation of English terms with placeholder "it": 38 36 25
  3. (idiomatic) To avoid criminal behavior. Tags: idiomatic Synonyms: go straight Translations (to avoid criminal behavior): sauber bleiben (German), es lassen krumme Dinger zu drehen (German), sich gesetzestreu verhalten (German)
    Sense id: en-play_it_straight-en-verb-DWmmJVOl Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header, English terms with placeholder "it" Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 43 39 18 Disambiguation of English terms with placeholder "it": 38 36 25 Disambiguation of 'to avoid criminal behavior': 3 2 94
The following are not (yet) sense-disambiguated
Related terms: play fair, play by the rules, play the game, straight play, straight shooter

Download JSON data for play it straight meaning in English (7.8kB)

{
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "plays it straight",
      "tags": [
        "present",
        "singular",
        "third-person"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "playing it straight",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "present"
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    },
    {
      "form": "played it straight",
      "tags": [
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        "past"
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    },
    {
      "form": "played it straight",
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  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "*"
      },
      "expansion": "play it straight (third-person singular simple present plays it straight, present participle playing it straight, simple past and past participle played it straight)",
      "name": "en-verb"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "verb",
  "related": [
    {
      "_dis1": "35 32 34",
      "word": "play fair"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "35 32 34",
      "word": "play by the rules"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "35 32 34",
      "word": "play the game"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "35 32 34",
      "word": "straight play"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "35 32 34",
      "word": "straight shooter"
    }
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  "senses": [
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      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "43 39 18",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
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        {
          "ref": "1911, Basil King, chapter 16, in The Street Called Straight",
          "text": "\"The position you'd put me in would be this—of playing a game—and a jolly important game at that—in which the loser loses to me on purpose. . . . If we're going to play a game,\" he continued, addressing Davenant, before the latter had time to speak, \"for Heaven's sake let us play it straight—like men. Let the winner win and the loser lose—\"",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1992 July 29, Gwen Ifill, “The 1992 Campaign: Clinton counters on foreign policy”, in New York Times, retrieved 2017-09-02",
          "text": "He added, \"I think the American people want a President who will play it straight in foreign policy, tell them the truth.\"",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To behave in a manner that is straightforward, honest, or sincere."
      ],
      "id": "en-play_it_straight-en-verb-hQfNpCAR",
      "links": [
        [
          "straightforward",
          "straightforward"
        ],
        [
          "honest",
          "honest"
        ],
        [
          "sincere",
          "sincere"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(idiomatic) To behave in a manner that is straightforward, honest, or sincere."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "idiomatic"
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "68 28 4",
          "code": "nl",
          "lang": "Dutch",
          "sense": "to behave in a manner that is straightforward, honest, or sincere",
          "word": "open kaart spelen"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "68 28 4",
          "code": "nl",
          "lang": "Dutch",
          "sense": "to behave in a manner that is straightforward, honest, or sincere",
          "word": "met open kaart spelen"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "68 28 4",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "to behave in a manner that is straightforward, honest, or sincere",
          "word": "olla rehellinen"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "68 28 4",
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "to behave in a manner that is straightforward, honest, or sincere",
          "word": "jouer cartes sur table"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "68 28 4",
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "to behave in a manner that is straightforward, honest, or sincere",
          "word": "jouer franc jeu"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "68 28 4",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "to behave in a manner that is straightforward, honest, or sincere",
          "word": "mit offenen Karten spielen"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "68 28 4",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "to behave in a manner that is straightforward, honest, or sincere",
          "word": "nicht herumtricksen"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "68 28 4",
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "sense": "to behave in a manner that is straightforward, honest, or sincere",
          "word": "giocare a carte scoperte"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "68 28 4",
          "code": "pl",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "sense": "to behave in a manner that is straightforward, honest, or sincere",
          "tags": [
            "imperfective"
          ],
          "word": "grać w otwarte karty"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "68 28 4",
          "code": "ro",
          "lang": "Romanian",
          "sense": "to behave in a manner that is straightforward, honest, or sincere",
          "word": "juca cinstit"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "68 28 4",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "igrátʹ v otkrýtuju",
          "sense": "to behave in a manner that is straightforward, honest, or sincere",
          "tags": [
            "imperfective"
          ],
          "word": "игра́ть в откры́тую"
        }
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          "_dis": "43 39 18",
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          "_dis": "38 36 25",
          "kind": "other",
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          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
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      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1998 March 11, Mark Coatney, “Lloyd Bridges, 1913-1998”, in Time, retrieved 2017-09-02",
          "text": "And how can you not admire a man who could star in a stinker like Battlestar Galactica—and play it straight?",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2001 December 2, Leslie Kandell, “Jersey Footlights: Playing It Straight”, in New York Times, retrieved 2017-09-02",
          "text": "Peter Schickele, the musical satirist and radio show host whose PDQ Bach Christmas concerts sell out Carnegie Hall each year, is not known for playing it straight.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To perform a role in a manner that is not comedic or exaggerated."
      ],
      "id": "en-play_it_straight-en-verb-Hyjw19l9",
      "links": [
        [
          "performing arts",
          "performing arts"
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        ]
      ],
      "qualifier": "performing arts",
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(idiomatic, performing arts) To perform a role in a manner that is not comedic or exaggerated."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "idiomatic"
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    {
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          "_dis": "43 39 18",
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      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1976 July 11, Nicholas, “Don't call me an informant”, in New York Times, retrieved 2017-09-02",
          "text": "But the best thing about him is that he always played it straight with us—never double‐dealed, giving us two and keeping one for himself.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2013 October 7, Jim Harger, “'The Wolf of Wall Street' lectures Economic Club of Grand Rapids on ethics”, in MLive Media Group, retrieved 2017-09-02",
          "text": "Belfort, who made millions on Wall Street before the FBI indicted him and he served nearly two years in federal prison, told the audience he could have made a lot more money if he had played it straight.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2017 July 19, Matt Lakin, “Jake Butcher, disgraced East Tennessee banking kingpin, dies”, in Knoxville News Sentinel, retrieved 2017-09-02",
          "text": "\"They could have made a fortune just playing it straight, but that wasn't enough for them,\" said Gill. . . . The brothers ultimately pleaded guilty to federal charges of conspiracy and bank fraud.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To avoid criminal behavior."
      ],
      "id": "en-play_it_straight-en-verb-DWmmJVOl",
      "links": [
        [
          "criminal",
          "criminal"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(idiomatic) To avoid criminal behavior."
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "go straight"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "idiomatic"
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "3 2 94",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "to avoid criminal behavior",
          "word": "sauber bleiben"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "3 2 94",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "to avoid criminal behavior",
          "word": "es lassen krumme Dinger zu drehen"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "3 2 94",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "to avoid criminal behavior",
          "word": "sich gesetzestreu verhalten"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "audio": "En-au-play it straight.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/f/fc/En-au-play_it_straight.ogg/En-au-play_it_straight.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fc/En-au-play_it_straight.ogg",
      "tags": [
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      "text": "Audio (AU)"
    }
  ],
  "word": "play it straight"
}
{
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    "English verbs"
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  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "plays it straight",
      "tags": [
        "present",
        "singular",
        "third-person"
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    },
    {
      "form": "playing it straight",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
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    {
      "form": "played it straight",
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    {
      "form": "played it straight",
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      "args": {
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  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "verb",
  "related": [
    {
      "word": "play fair"
    },
    {
      "word": "play by the rules"
    },
    {
      "word": "play the game"
    },
    {
      "word": "straight play"
    },
    {
      "word": "straight shooter"
    }
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        "Quotation templates to be cleaned"
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          "ref": "1911, Basil King, chapter 16, in The Street Called Straight",
          "text": "\"The position you'd put me in would be this—of playing a game—and a jolly important game at that—in which the loser loses to me on purpose. . . . If we're going to play a game,\" he continued, addressing Davenant, before the latter had time to speak, \"for Heaven's sake let us play it straight—like men. Let the winner win and the loser lose—\"",
          "type": "quotation"
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        {
          "ref": "1992 July 29, Gwen Ifill, “The 1992 Campaign: Clinton counters on foreign policy”, in New York Times, retrieved 2017-09-02",
          "text": "He added, \"I think the American people want a President who will play it straight in foreign policy, tell them the truth.\"",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To behave in a manner that is straightforward, honest, or sincere."
      ],
      "links": [
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          "honest",
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      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(idiomatic) To behave in a manner that is straightforward, honest, or sincere."
      ],
      "tags": [
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          "ref": "1998 March 11, Mark Coatney, “Lloyd Bridges, 1913-1998”, in Time, retrieved 2017-09-02",
          "text": "And how can you not admire a man who could star in a stinker like Battlestar Galactica—and play it straight?",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2001 December 2, Leslie Kandell, “Jersey Footlights: Playing It Straight”, in New York Times, retrieved 2017-09-02",
          "text": "Peter Schickele, the musical satirist and radio show host whose PDQ Bach Christmas concerts sell out Carnegie Hall each year, is not known for playing it straight.",
          "type": "quotation"
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      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To perform a role in a manner that is not comedic or exaggerated."
      ],
      "links": [
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      "qualifier": "performing arts",
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(idiomatic, performing arts) To perform a role in a manner that is not comedic or exaggerated."
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        "idiomatic"
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        {
          "ref": "1976 July 11, Nicholas, “Don't call me an informant”, in New York Times, retrieved 2017-09-02",
          "text": "But the best thing about him is that he always played it straight with us—never double‐dealed, giving us two and keeping one for himself.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2013 October 7, Jim Harger, “'The Wolf of Wall Street' lectures Economic Club of Grand Rapids on ethics”, in MLive Media Group, retrieved 2017-09-02",
          "text": "Belfort, who made millions on Wall Street before the FBI indicted him and he served nearly two years in federal prison, told the audience he could have made a lot more money if he had played it straight.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2017 July 19, Matt Lakin, “Jake Butcher, disgraced East Tennessee banking kingpin, dies”, in Knoxville News Sentinel, retrieved 2017-09-02",
          "text": "\"They could have made a fortune just playing it straight, but that wasn't enough for them,\" said Gill. . . . The brothers ultimately pleaded guilty to federal charges of conspiracy and bank fraud.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To avoid criminal behavior."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "criminal",
          "criminal"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(idiomatic) To avoid criminal behavior."
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "go straight"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
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      ]
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  ],
  "sounds": [
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      "audio": "En-au-play it straight.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/f/fc/En-au-play_it_straight.ogg/En-au-play_it_straight.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fc/En-au-play_it_straight.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "Australia"
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      "text": "Audio (AU)"
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "nl",
      "lang": "Dutch",
      "sense": "to behave in a manner that is straightforward, honest, or sincere",
      "word": "open kaart spelen"
    },
    {
      "code": "nl",
      "lang": "Dutch",
      "sense": "to behave in a manner that is straightforward, honest, or sincere",
      "word": "met open kaart spelen"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "to behave in a manner that is straightforward, honest, or sincere",
      "word": "olla rehellinen"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "to behave in a manner that is straightforward, honest, or sincere",
      "word": "jouer cartes sur table"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "to behave in a manner that is straightforward, honest, or sincere",
      "word": "jouer franc jeu"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "to behave in a manner that is straightforward, honest, or sincere",
      "word": "mit offenen Karten spielen"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "to behave in a manner that is straightforward, honest, or sincere",
      "word": "nicht herumtricksen"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "sense": "to behave in a manner that is straightforward, honest, or sincere",
      "word": "giocare a carte scoperte"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "sense": "to behave in a manner that is straightforward, honest, or sincere",
      "tags": [
        "imperfective"
      ],
      "word": "grać w otwarte karty"
    },
    {
      "code": "ro",
      "lang": "Romanian",
      "sense": "to behave in a manner that is straightforward, honest, or sincere",
      "word": "juca cinstit"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "igrátʹ v otkrýtuju",
      "sense": "to behave in a manner that is straightforward, honest, or sincere",
      "tags": [
        "imperfective"
      ],
      "word": "игра́ть в откры́тую"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "to avoid criminal behavior",
      "word": "sauber bleiben"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "to avoid criminal behavior",
      "word": "es lassen krumme Dinger zu drehen"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "to avoid criminal behavior",
      "word": "sich gesetzestreu verhalten"
    }
  ],
  "word": "play it straight"
}

This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2024-05-01 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2024-04-21 using wiktextract (f4fd8c9 and c9440ce). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.