The Collaborative International Dictionary
Strait \Strait\, a. [Compar. Straiter; superl. Straitest.] [OE. straight, streyt, streit, OF. estreit, estroit, F. ['e]troit, from L. strictus drawn together, close, tight, p. p. of stringere to draw tight. See 2nd Strait, and cf. Strict.]
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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. Tight; close; closely fitting.
--Shak.Close; intimate; near; familiar. [Obs.] ``A strait degree of favor.''
--Sir P. Sidney.-
Strict; scrupulous; rigorous.
Some certain edicts and some strait decrees.
--Shak.The straitest sect of our religion.
--Acts xxvi. 5 (Rev. Ver.). -
Difficult; distressful; straited.
To make your strait circumstances yet straiter.
--Secker. -
Parsimonious; niggargly; mean. [Obs.]
I beg cold comfort, and you are so strait, And so ingrateful, you deny me that.
--Shak.
Wiktionary
a. (en-superlative of: strait)