[f. STRAIGHTEN v. + -ING1.] The action of the verb, in various senses.
1730. A. Gordon, Maffei’s Amphith., 274. The Space is taken up by the straightning of the Roof.
1839. Ure, Dict. Arts, etc. 881. Whereby he effects … the straightening of the wires [for needles].
1860. Holland, Miss Gilbert, i. Bearing the doctor in his gig, and stopping here and there at the houses of his patients without the straightening of a rein.
1884. Manch. Exam., 29 Sept., 5/3. Their project contemplates the deepening, widening, and straightening of the rivers Mersey and Irwell.
1892. Labour Commission, Gloss., Straightening, putting rails under the press to straighten them when they have become bent in cooling.
1916. Med. Press & Circular, 10 May, 421/2. Nothing can be more reprehensible than the repeated straightening of the uterus by means of the uterine sound.
b. attrib.
1688. R. Holme, Armoury, III. 387/1. Instruments of the Needle-makers:… a Streightning file. Ibid., 388/2. Tools in much use with the Horn-maker;… the Streightning-Tongs.
1869. Rankine, Machine & Hand-tools, Pl. P 6. 4 The action of the straightening mandrel.
1884. Knight, Dict. Mech., Suppl., Straightening Block, the anvil on which buckled saws are straightened.
