Meanings
alternative strait and narrow
- broadlyidiomaticA procedure according to rules and plans.
The project would seriously go down the pan if Mrs. Foster weren't here to keep it on the straight and narrow.
Synonyms & antonyms
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
Probably by homophonic confusion (in speech) of "strait and narrow", from Matthew 7:14 ("Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it"). Compare straight-laced, which has undergone a similar process.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Chinese Mandarin 正道, 正當途徑 /正当途径
- 正道 (zhèngdào)the path of honesty
- 正當途徑 /正当途径 (zhèngdàng tújìng)the path of honesty
Finnish kaita tie
- kaita tiethe path of honesty
French droit chemin
- droit cheminthe path of honesty
Italian retta via, in carreggiata
- retta viathe path of honesty
- in carreggiatathe path of honesty
Polish prosta droga, iść prostą drogą
- prosta drogathe path of honesty
- iść prostą drogąthe path of honesty
- pójść prostą drogąthe path of honesty
Swedish den smala vägen
- den smala vägenthe path of honesty
Cite this entry
straight and narrow. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/straight%20and%20narrow
“straight and narrow.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/straight%20and%20narrow. Accessed November 5, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “straight and narrow,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/straight%20and%20narrow.
Source: straight and narrow on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.