Definitions
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun Plural form of
strait .
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- noun a difficult juncture
- noun a bad or difficult situation or state of affairs
Etymologies
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Examples
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In particular, aid to state governments, which are in desperate straits, is both fast — because it prevents spending cuts rather than having to start up new projects — and effective, because it would in fact be spent; plus state and local governments are cutting back on essentials, so the social value of this spending would be high.
Matthew Yglesias » Krugman: Centrists Eliminated 600,000 Worth of Jobs From Stimulus Package 2009
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They did his bidding and he alighted with his company of handmaids and Mamelukes; and, seeing all the folk of the city in straits and desolation and sore distress, said to the Princess, ‘O love of my heart and coolth of mine eyes, look in what a piteous plight is my sire!’
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Thousands of homeless people live on San Francisco's streets, in straits as dire as anything you can imagine in the worst slums of the developing world, amid some of the wealthiest people in the world.
Boing Boing: November 30, 2003 - December 6, 2003 Archives 2003
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We have not insisted on our right, but have rather been in straits to serve the interests of the gospel, and promote the salvation of souls.
Commentary on the Whole Bible Volume VI (Acts to Revelation) 1721
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God in straits and difficulties, that as long as God has any work for them to do their lives shall be prolonged.
Commentary on the Whole Bible Volume VI (Acts to Revelation) 1721
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David, in straits, had humbly and earnestly begged mercy of God, and God had heard him, that is, had graciously accepted his prayer, taken cognizance of his case, and granted him an answer of peace.
Commentary on the Whole Bible Volume III (Job to Song of Solomon) 1721
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If we and our infants be at any time in straits, let us remember the straits Christ in his infancy was brought into, and be reconciled to them.
Commentary on the Whole Bible Volume V (Matthew to John) 1721
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We have here Belshazzar the king very gay, but all of a sudden very gloomy, and in straits in the fulness of his sufficiency.
Commentary on the Whole Bible Volume IV (Isaiah to Malachi) 1721
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Note, To distrust Christ, and to disturb ourselves when we are in straits and difficulties, is an evidence of the weakness of our faith, which, if it were in exercise as it should be, would ease us of the burthen of care, by casting it on the Lord, who careth for us.
Commentary on the Whole Bible Volume V (Matthew to John) 1721
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Though the presence of the Comforter yielded them real and effectual relief in straits and difficulties, yet it was not such a sensible satisfaction as his bodily presence would have been to those who had been used to it.
Commentary on the Whole Bible Volume V (Matthew to John) 1721
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