straight arrow

straight arrow

An honest, ethical person who makes good decisions. Kristen was often mocked by her peers for being a straight arrow who always followed the rules and stayed out of trouble.
See also: arrow, straight
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

a straight arrow

mainly AMERICAN
If you describe someone as a straight arrow, you mean that they are very conventional, honest, and moral. I was very much a product of my environment. I was very traditional, a real straight arrow in lots of ways. Several friends describe Mr. Menendez as `a straight arrow' who rarely drank and was close to his family. Note: You can use straight-arrow before a noun. It was impossible to imagine such a well-scrubbed, straight-arrow group of young people rioting over anything.
See also: arrow, straight
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.

a straight arrow

an honest or genuine person. North American
See also: arrow, straight
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

straight arrow

n. an honest person; a law-abiding citizen. (see also straight shooter.) Willy is really a straight arrow at heart—as long as he’s not around Max. Max is not a straight arrow. Slime is more like it.
See also: arrow, straight
McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions

straight arrow

A conventional and ethical person. As morally straight as an arrow, that person is likely to be dull. As used in colleges during the mid- 20th century, a straight arrow wasn't the type who'd get drunk or use drugs. If female, her necking, petting, or going further was out of the question.
See also: arrow, straight
Endangered Phrases by Steven D. Price
See also:
  • a straight arrow
  • an honest buck
  • arrow
  • (as) straight as an arrow
  • straight as an arrow
  • make an honest buck
  • earn an honest buck
  • honest to a fault
  • an honest broker
  • TBQH
References in periodicals archive
In the second section, I argue that the combatively collaborative interests of Acosta and Straight Arrow are rendered most clearly in its narrative and paratextual depictions of cockroaches.
"La vida es el honor y el recuerdo": Oscar Zeta Acosta's paratextual struggle for survival
Paul Farnsworth's set is inventive and colourful, and his costumes are bright and fit in perfectly with the story: in the second act, the dancing of Straight Arrow's spear-wielding tribe is wonderfully performed and carries a punch.
culture: Animal magic enchants in family show
He was an absolute straight arrow. He did what he did very well, but stayed in the shadows, probably a result of his natural modesty.
Gary Nateman, noted beer industry lawyer, dies at 67
Quinn, whose ambitions include a possible future on the Supreme Court, has impressive credentials--West Point graduate, Vietnam veteran, stellar legal background--and a "reputation as a straight arrow." But he has his own dark secrets, chiefly a prior extramarital affair with a colleague.
The Majority Rules
Tough girl Lea Leander (Stanwyck) has been arrested for her third count of shoplifting and faces straight arrow prosecutor John Sargent (MacMurray).
Remember the Night
An unproblematic straight arrow who bought into deconstruction, buffered from the sordid economics of the university, she struck me as a true believer who "inherited" a methodological pedigree, and money.
Jacques Le Narcissiste: Rhonda Lieberman on Derrida. (Film)
Want to see a play about a real straight arrow? The McKenzie Players perform "The Somewhat True Tale of Robin Hood" at 7 p.m.
Best Bets
Taking such a decisive stance at a time of geopolitical and internal national upheaval was a bold move for such a straight arrow politician.
Villiger's way. (Swiss Politics)
He was genial and hard working and a straight arrow. An excellent storyteller, he usually began with, "Stop me if you've heard this one...." Of course, even if one had heard them before, the stories were simply too entertaining to pass up.
"Goodbye Friend"
They are as straightforward and straight arrow as one could find, which may or may not be what every listener is after.
Bach: Brandenburg Concertos; Triple Concerto; Overtures. Helmut Muller-Bruhl, Cologne Chamber Orchestra. Naxos 8.554607, 8.554608, and 8.554609
Phillip Schofield holds the show together well, assisted by Sam Mancuso as Straight Arrow; John Rawnsley as the circus owner; and David Ganly as Matthew Mugg.
Gub Gub steals show to be pork of the town
Russell Crowe is tough Bud White - and Guy Pearce is phenomenal as straight arrow Ed Exley.
What's on at the movies
Normally a straight arrow, light usually doesn't turn a corner.
Light gets the bends in a photonic crystal
Robinson admits, though, that one new account the agency had highly touted a year ago - Straight Arrow Products, makers of Mane & Tail hair and beauty products - has not panned out as expected,.
CJRW cuts back staff but claims revenues up
We'd done business before, and I knew Henry was a straight arrow. So, when he said, "Might you be interested in running RJR Nabisco?" I said, "Yeah, I would be glad to talk."
Back in the saddle