Straits

Pronunciation: /streɪts/

Definitions of straits

noun a difficult situation or position

Example Sentences

A1 I am in financial straits and need to find a way to make more money.

A2 The ship had to navigate through narrow straits to reach the open sea.

B1 The company found itself in dire straits after losing a major client.

B2 The hikers had to carefully cross the treacherous straits to reach the other side of the mountain.

C1 The diplomat was able to navigate the political straits and secure a peace treaty.

C2 The captain skillfully guided the ship through the dangerous straits, avoiding any potential hazards.

Examples of straits in a Sentence

formal The ship navigated through the narrow straits with caution.

informal We're in a bit of a tight straits financially right now.

slang I'm in deep straits if I don't pass this exam.

figurative She found herself in emotional straits after the breakup.

Grammatical Forms of straits

• past tense: straitened
• plural: straits
• comparative: straiter
• superlative: straitest
• present tense: straitens
• future tense: will straiten
• perfect tense: has straitened
• continuous tense: is straitening
• singular: strait
• positive degree: straight
• infinitive: to straiten
• gerund: straitening
• participle: straitened

Origin and Evolution of straits

First Known Use: 1250 year

Language of Origin: Old French

Story behind the word: The word 'straits' originated from the Old French word 'estreit' which means narrow, tight, or strict.

Evolution of the word: Over time, the word 'straits' evolved to refer to narrow waterways or passages connecting two larger bodies of water, often with strong currents or difficult navigation. It can also be used metaphorically to indicate a difficult or challenging situation.