STRAIT Strait, a. [Compar. Straiter; superl. Straitest.] Etym: [OE. straight, streyt, streit, OF. estreit, estroit, F. étroit, from L. strictus drawn together, close, tight, p.p. of stringere to draw tight. See 2nd Strait, and cf. Strict.]
1. Narrow; not broad.
Strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life,
and few there be that find it. Matt. vii. 14.
Too strait and low our cottage doors. Emerson.
2. Tight; close; closely fitting. Shak.
3. Close; intimate; near; familiar. [Obs.] "A strait degree of favor." Sir P. Sidney.
4. Strict; scrupulous; rigorous. Some certain edicts and some strait decrees. Shak. The straitest sect of our religion. Acts xxvi. 5 (Rev. Ver.).
5. Difficult; distressful; straited. To make your strait circumstances yet straiter. Secker.
6. Parsimonious; niggargly; mean. [Obs.] I beg cold comfort, and you are so strait, And so ingrateful, you deny me that. Shak.
STRAIT
Strait, adv.
Defn: Strictly; rigorously. [Obs.] Shak.
STRAIT Strait, n.; pl. Straits. Etym: [OE. straight, streit, OF. estreit, estroit. See Strait, a.]