Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

straight as a die

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: Zipf frequency 4.75 in modern English

Syllables
straight as a die
IPA
19
Scrabble Score
14
Letters
1
Syllables
9
Unique Chars

Meaning

Etymology

* Used in the sense of ‘correct,’ attested since April, 1871, originally American English, from the 18th-century expression as true as a die, from the 16th-century expression as smooth as a die, referring to the osseous substance that dice were formerly created with. * Possibly connected with, or confused with, the metal-cutting tool called a die.

Questions

What does straight as a die mean?
Completely or totally straight.
Where does straight as a die come from?
* Used in the sense of ‘correct,’ attested since April, 1871, originally American English, from the 18th-century expression as true as a die, from the 16th-century expression as smooth as a die, referring to the osseous substance that dice were formerly created with. * Possibly connected with, or confused with, the metal-cutting tool called a die.

How to pronounce straight as a die

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “straight as a die”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling () so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “straight as a die”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “straight as a die” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.