On the straight and narrow
Suggest a CorrectionMeaning
Living or behaving honestly, lawfully, and according to accepted moral standards. Informal and often carries a moral or religious tone. It may imply that the speaker is judging another person's conduct. Regional use: Widespread English; rooted in an English Bible translation.
Origin
The modern expression is an alteration of biblical wording. In the King James Version of Matthew 7:14, strait means narrow or constricted in the sentence strait is the gate, and narrow is the way. English speakers later reinterpreted strait as straight, which introduced the image of an undeviating moral path. Merriam-Webster dates its first known use of straight and narrow in this sense to 1906, so claims that the familiar wording was already slang in the 1830s are not supported by that record.
Research Sources
Variants
- The straight and narrow
- The strait and narrow
Usage Examples
- Since taking over the accounts, Priya has kept the charity firmly on the straight and narrow.
- The mentor helped him return to the straight and narrow after a series of dishonest decisions.
- Clear procurement rules should keep the project on the straight and narrow.