straight-line

straight-line — collocation

1. going from one point to another without turning or bending on the way

1.collocationB2
Definition

going from one point to another without turning or bending on the way

Example

Daniel drew a straight-line arrow from the station to the museum.

pattern: straight-line + arrow

The app showed a straight-line path across the school field.

pattern: straight-line + path

Common collocations
  • straight-line route
  • straight-line path
  • straight-line distance
  • straight-line track
Synonyms
  • direct

    is broader and can describe a route without focusing on geometric shape

  • point-to-point

    often stresses travel between two fixed places in transport or mapping

  • linear

    sounds more technical and is common in math or design

Antonyms
  • curved

    describes a path or shape that bends

  • winding

    suggests many turns instead of one direct line

Grammar Patterns

straight-line route

straight-line path

straight-line distance

Usage Note

Usually appears before nouns that describe movement, measurement, or shape. It stresses the direct route itself, not whether the trip is fast or easy.

Common Mistakes

The bus took a straight-line to the airport.
The bus took a straight-line route to the airport.
straight-line usually modifies a following noun.
We measured the walk in straight-line.
We measured the walk by straight-line distance.
use it as part of a noun phrase, not alone after in.

straight-line — adjective

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

For adjective/1, straight-line highlights a route or measurement that stays on the most direct geometric course. Direct is the broad everyday word, so it can describe instructions, travel, or communication without stressing shape. Linear is more technical and often appears in math, design, or data talk. Point-to-point focuses on the two end places, especially in mapping, transport, and network planning. As-the-crow-flies is informal and usually refers only to distance, not speed or a designed path. Say straight-line distance when a map ignores bends in the road. Say a direct bus when the trip has few stops, even if the road itself curves.

direct ↗linear ↗point-to-pointas-the-crow-flies

Common collocations

Phrases

  • straight-line distance
  • straight-line speed
  • straight-line engine
  • straight-line repayment

Etymology

Old EnglishOld FrenchLatinEnglish

This compound joins straight, an old English word for something not bent, with line, which reached English through French from Latin linea. English first used the combination for a direct, uncurved path and later extended it to technical fields such as engine design, machinery, and finance.

First known use

1772

1772, in the meaning defined at sense 4