straightaway
/ˌstreɪtəˈweɪ/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌstreɪtəˈweɪ/ (ame, ipa) · /ˌstrāt-ə-ˈwā/ (ame, mw) · /ˈstreɪt.əˌweɪ/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈstreɪt̬.əˌweɪ/ (ame, ipa) · /ˌstreɪt.əˈweɪ/ (bre, ipa)
straightaway — adverb
1. as soon as something happens, with no waiting time in between; right after an ac
as soon as something happens, with no waiting time in between; right after an action or event, rather than later.
The fire alarm went off, so the teacher told everyone to leave the building straightaway.
adverb position at end of clause
When the results came out, Diego called his mother straightaway to share the news.
If you feel any pain during the exercise, stop straightaway and rest.
After hearing the baby cry, the nurse came straightaway to check what was wrong.
My laptop screen went black, so I called the repair shop straightaway before the problem got worse.
- immediately
more formal; works in any register, while straightaway is slightly informal
- right away
same level of informality, very common in American English
- at once
slightly more urgent or emphatic
- later
implies a delay or a future time
- eventually
after some time has passed, not immediately
用法筆記
Commonly written as two words in British English (straight away). Does not normally appear at the beginning of a sentence.
常見錯誤
straightaway — noun
- straightawaysingular
- straightawaysplural
1. the long, flat, straight piece of a race track where vehicles or runners go at f
the long, flat, straight piece of a race track where vehicles or runners go at full speed without having to turn a corner.
The racehorse pulled ahead of the others as soon as they reached the straightaway.
the + straightaway as a specific track section
Yumi took the final corner smoothly and sped down the straightaway toward the finish line.
A long straightaway on the highway lets drivers see far ahead before the next curve.
The cyclist saved his energy for the last straightaway and then sprinted to win the race.
- straight
British term for the same concept; also used in American English but less common
- stretch
can refer to a straight section but also to any continuous segment of road or track
- homestretch
specifically the final straight section leading to the finish line
文法句型
the + straightaway
用法筆記
Typically used in the definite singular form: the straightaway. The British equivalent is 'the straight'.
常見錯誤
straightaway — adjective
- straightawaypositive
- more straightawaycomparative
- most straightawaysuperlative
1. describing a path, road, or rail that does not bend or turn, continuing in one c
describing a path, road, or rail that does not bend or turn, continuing in one clear direction for a noticeable distance.
The straightaway road through the desert stretched for miles without a single curve.
straightaway + noun (road)
Drivers prefer the straightaway section of the racetrack because they can reach very high speed.
We walked along a straightaway stretch of the old railway line that had once carried trains between the two towns.
The bus picked up speed once it left the winding mountain road and reached a straightaway highway.
文法句型
straightaway + noun
用法筆記
This adjective nearly always modifies nouns like road, track, stretch, or section. It is far less common than the adverb sense.
2. happening or done without any pause between starting and finishing; so quick tha
happening or done without any pause between starting and finishing; so quick that there is no sense of waiting.
The coach asked for a straightaway answer, but the player needed a moment to think it over.
collocation: straightaway answer
Although the manager wanted a straightaway decision on the new project, the team asked for more time to study the numbers.
Customers expect a straightaway response when they send a message through the company website.
When Kenji realised he had broken the vase, he offered a straightaway apology to his grandmother.
文法句型
straightaway + noun
用法筆記
This adjective sense is quite rare in modern English; the adverb form is used far more often to express immediacy. Nearly always appears before a noun.