1 free from curves, bends, angles, or irregularities straight hairstraight timber b : generated by a point moving continuously in the same direction and expressed by a linear equation a straight linethe straight segment of a curve
2 a : lying along or holding to a direct or proper course or method a straight thinker b : CANDID, FRANK a straight answer c : coming directly from a trustworthy source a straight tip on the horses d (1) : having the elements in an order the straight sequence of events (2) : CONSECUTIVE 12 straight days e : having the cylinders arranged in a single straight line a straight 8-cylinder engine f : PLUMB, VERTICAL the picture isn’t quite straight
3 a : exhibiting honesty and fairness straight dealing b : properly ordered or arranged set the kitchen straightset us straight on that issue; also : CORRECT get the facts straight c : free from extraneous matter : UNMIXED straight whiskey d : marked by no exceptions or deviations in support of a principle or party votes a straight Democratic ticket e : having a fixed price for each regardless of the number sold f : not deviating from an indicated pattern writes straight humora straight-A student g (1) : exhibiting no deviation from what is established or accepted as usual, normal, or proper : CONVENTIONAL; also : SQUARE 5f (2) : not using or under the influence of drugs or alcohol h : HETEROSEXUAL
4 : being the only form of remuneration on straight commission
MERRIAM-WEBSTER DEFINITION: Dope
a : a thick liquid or pasty preparation b : a preparation for giving a desired quality to a substance or surface
2 : absorbent or adsorbent material used in various manufacturing processes (as the making of dynamite)
3 a (1) : an illicit, habit-forming, or narcotic drug; especially : MARIJUANA (2) : a preparation given to a racehorse to help or hinder its performance b chiefly Southern : a cola drink c : a stupid person
4 : information especially from a reliable source the inside dope
Which definition could the words, “straight” and “dope”, possibly mean? Surely, it can’t mean that these forum members are dopers or marijuana abusers! :eek:
“The Straight Dope” is a term that basically means “the truth”. See your definition 4 for the word “dope” (although for some of us, 3c probably applies too).
Absolutely. In this case, though, combining the final part of definition 3b (“correct”) with the 4th definition for dope (“information especially from a reliable source”) gets you much closer than many idioms: “straight dope” == “correct information from a reliable source”.
The word dope comes from Dutch doop*, literally meaning ‘dip’. The original meaning was sense 1 from the above dictionary definitions: “a thick liquid or pasty preparation; a preparation for giving a desired quality to a substance or surface.” E.g. thousand island dip to give a desired quality to crackers or potato crisps; creamy spinach & avocado dip to give a desired quality to toasty ciabatta are examples that come to my culinary mind, or maybe I’m just hungry and need to go have breakfast. I think in crafts and industry the usual meaning of dope is some chemical preparation used to treat construction or manufacturing materials, I’m not sure.
*Pronounced the same as dope; in Dutch the digraph <oo>=the long /o:/ vowel.
–Anyone who’s done any plumbing knows that “pipe dope” is a paste applied to threads before screwing two pieces of plumbing together. It forms an airtight seal and adds a little adhesion also. (I have no way of knowing whether or not “pipe dope” has some meaning in the drug culture.)
The title does mean that we get some questions from people who think we’re a site for drug users. Some of my favorites:
[ul][li]How do I make ecstacy?[/li][li]how long does it take to get weed out of ur syster? and how should i go about doin it [/li][li]Does LSD burn a whole in your brain?[/li][li]If poppy seeds can make you fail a drug test, what can make you pass one?[/li][li]if u took a piss test and it came back positive is there anything u can say u took that made test come back positiveis there any legal drug that will make piss test come back positive that might say u took cocaine[/li][li]hello r u a dealer i like gettin high. actually am high now erm cool am chattin to dealer.[/li][li]Where’s the safest place for a white male to buy some crack near to the Riverwalk?[/li][/ul]The list goes on. I’ve done cut-and-paste here from actual emails to Cecil.
I’ve wondered whether “syster” is a typo for “system” or for “sister.” Hard to tell.
Wait a minute, I could swear I learned this from one of the books, but I could be misremembering:
I understood that the initial free paper, it appeared in, was a counter culture sort of street paper, at the time. And that, initially, the idea was to inform people about bad street drugs that were around town. But that’s not much material for a weekly column, and so they branched out and started taking questions, any questions, outside of that thin topic. And it grew to the column we have today.
If not one of the books, I wonder where I read this?
Surely, it can’t mean that these forum members are dopers or marijuana abusers! :eek: