What is the meaning of the phrase ‘as straight as an arrow’?
Honest and genuine.
What is the origin of the phrase ‘as straight as an arrow’?
The phrase ‘as straight as an arrow’ is a simile, which is a type of metaphor where two things are compared with one another using either the word ‘like’ or the word ‘as’. The phrase is also considered to be an idiom, because it’s usually used to refer to a person’s behaviour as opposed to the movement of an arrow. This means that you have to interpret the phrase as a whole as opposed to deducing the meaning of the phrase from its individual words.
The phrase alludes to the idea of an arrow flying through the air in a perfectly straight line. Due to the long standing use of archery among the population, it is certainly possible the phrase has been used in other languages before it came into use in the English language.
That said, it is not known when the phrase came to refer to a person as being honest and genuine, or simply to refer to someone’s behaviour as being socially acceptable and polite. The phrase is also synonymous with sincerity and truthfulness.
In the year 1956, the phrase was abbreviated to ‘straight arrow’ by the astronomer and broadcaster Patrick Moore. This phrase is also a variation on the 19th- century term of ‘straight shooter’.
Many people use the phrase ;straight as an arrow’ to describe a person’s sexuality as heterosexual.
