adv. and a. [STRAIGHT adv. 7 b.] A. adv. Directly in front or onwards; in direct order.
1809. Malkin, Gil Blas, VIII. xii. (Rtldg.), 306. Tell him all the circumstances straightforward as they happened.
1830. Herschel, Study Nat. Phil., I. ii. (1851), 22. To walk uprightly and straight-forward on firm ground.
1832. Ht. Martineau, Demerara, iii. 39. Old Robert could not be got to answer a question straight-forward or to tell anything without contradicting himself twenty times.
c. 1850. Arab. Nts. (Rtldg.), 727. He proceeded straight forward on his journey without deviating either to the right or left.
B. adj.
1. Of movement, vision, etc.: Proceeding or directed straight forward.
1807. Roland, Fencing, 24. Those kind of straight-forward thrusts.
1815. Mme. D’Arblay, Diary, 20 March. The desire of obtaining intelligence made Madame d’Henin most unwilling to continue a straightforward journey.
1859. Hawthorne, Fr. & It. Note-bks. (1871), II. 291. Its peculiar expression eludes a straightforward glance, and can only be caught by side glimpses.
1867. Longf., Dante, Inf., i. 3. Midway upon the journey of our life I found myself within a forest dark, For the straightforward pathway had been lost.
2. Of language, narrative or exposition: Direct, without circumlocution or digression.
1806. J. Beresford, Miseries Hum. Life, vii. Introd. (ed. 3), 132. You put my poor stock of straight-forward phraseology quite upon the stretch to reach after you!
1875. Jowett, Plato (ed. 2), IV. 40. Of many … benevolent actions we can give a straightforward account by their tendency to promote happiness.
1895. J. H. Round, in Bookman, Oct., 25/2. The book … [is] a straightforward, readable narrative in a very reasonable compass.
1913. Times, 13 Sept., 15/6. They had had a straightforward statement of affairs from Mr. Barry.
3. Of an action or process: Continuous in one direction, undeviating.
1817. Malthus, Popul., III. 170. It has proceeded in a very straight-forward manner to spend great sums in war, and to raise them by very heavy taxes.
1824. Dibdin, Libr. Comp., p. iv. A sedulous and straight-forward cultivation of the pursuit in question.
1850. Denison, Clock & Watch-m., 161. We must have some more violent method than the straight forward expansion of one metal over that of another.
4. Presenting a clear course; free from difficulties.
1833. Ht. Martineau, Brooke Farm, xi. 131. It all seems straightforward enough now, if I can but get this appointment.
5. Of persons, their dispositions or conduct: Consistent, undeviating in purpose, single-minded. Also (now usually), free from duplicity or concealment; frank, honest, outspoken.
1834. Marryat, P. Simple, vii. ‘He may be a fool, sir,’ observed he to the captain, aside; ‘but I can assure you he is a very straight-forward one.’
1845. Disraeli, Sybil, IV. v. He is a man; with clear, straightforward ideas, a frank, noble presence.
1845–6. Trench, Huls. Lect., Ser. II. i. 160. Serving with a straightforward and downright obedience … God.
1850. W. Irving, Mahomet, II. 18. His next movement was indicative of his straight-forward cut-and-thrust policy.
1874. Spurgeon, Treas. Dav., ci. title, It is David all over, straightforward, resolute, devout; there is no trace of policy or vacillation.
1874. Green, Short Hist., ix. § 10. 702. He was thoroughly straightforward and true to his own convictions.
1911. Riker, Henry Fox 1st Ld. Holland, I. ii. 86. Lacking a straightforward and practicable policy, they were helpless to combat a party which had adopted as its basis the commercial interests of the nation and a constitutional king.
Comb. 1875. G. John, in R. W. Thompson, Life (1908), 352. Wei is a plain, honest, straightforward-looking man.
