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Canal vs Strait - What's the difference?

canal | strait |

As nouns the difference between canal and strait

is that canal is an artificial waterway, often connecting one body of water with another while strait is a narrow channel of water connecting two larger bodies of water.

As verbs the difference between canal and strait

is that canal is to dig an artificial waterway in or to (a place), especially for drainage while strait is to put to difficulties.

As an adjective strait is

narrow; restricted as to space or room; close.

As an adverb strait is

strictly; rigorously.

canal

English

(wikipedia canal)

Noun

(en noun)
  • An artificial waterway, often connecting one body of water with another
  • A tubular channel within the body.

    • Related terms

    * channel * channelization * channelize * canalization * canalize

    Verb

  • To dig an artificial waterway in or to (a place), especially for drainage
  • * {{quote-book, year=1968, title=Proceedings, author=Louisiana State University, page=165 citation
    • , passage= In the mangrove-type salt marsh, the entire marsh must be canaled or impounded. }}
  • To travel along a canal by boat
  • * {{quote-book, year=1905, author=William Yoast Morgan, title=A Journey of a Jayhawker, page=211, pageurl=http://books.google.com/books?id=vTELAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA211
    • , passage=Near Rotterdam we canalled by Delfthaven.}} ----

    strait

    English

    Adjective

    (er)
  • (archaic) Narrow; restricted as to space or room; close.
  • * Emerson
    • too strait and low our cottage doors
  • * 1866 , , Aholibah , lines 53-55
    • Sweet oil was poured out on thy head
    And ran down like cool rain between
    The strait close locks it melted in.
  • * 1900 , , To One in Bedlam , lines 3-5
    • Those scentless wisps of straw, that miserably line
    His strait , caged universe, whereat the dull world stares,
    Pedant and pitiful.
  • (archaic) Righteous, strict.
    • to follow the strait and narrow
  • * 1597 , , IV. iii. 79:
    • some certain edicts and some strait decrees
  • * Bible, Acts xxvi. 5 (Rev. Ver.)
    • the straitest sect of our religion
  • (obsolete) Tight; close; tight-fitting.
  • * 1613 , , III. vi. 86:
    • Is not this piece too strait ? / No, no, 'tis well.
  • (obsolete) Close; intimate; near; familiar.
  • * Sir Philip Sidney
    • a strait degree of favour
  • (obsolete) Difficult; distressful; straited.
  • * Secker
    • to make your strait' circumstances yet ' straiter
  • (obsolete) Parsimonious; niggardly; mean.
  • * 1596 , , V. vii. 42:
    • I beg cold comfort, and you are so strait , / And so ingrateful, you deny me that.

    Usage notes

    The adjective is often confused with straight.

    Derived terms

    * straitjacket * strait-laced

    Noun

    (en noun) (wikipedia strait)
  • (geography) A narrow channel of water connecting two larger bodies of water.
    • The Strait of Gibraltar
  • * De Foe
    • We steered directly through a large outlet which they call a strait , though it be fifteen miles broad.
  • A narrow pass or passage.
  • * Spenser
    • He brought him through a darksome narrow strait / To a broad gate all built of beaten gold.
  • * 1602 , , III. iii. 154:
    • For honour travels in a strait so narrow / Where one but goes abreast.
  • A neck of land; an isthmus.
  • * Tennyson
    • a dark strait of barren land
  • A difficult position (often used in plural).
    • to be in dire straits
  • * South
    • Let no man, who owns a Providence, grow desperate under any calamity or strait whatsoever.
  • * Broome
    • Ulysses made use of the pretense of natural infirmity to conceal the straits he was in at that time in his thoughts.

    Derived terms

    * dire straits

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (obsolete) To put to difficulties.
    • (Shakespeare)

    Adverb

    (en adverb)
  • (obsolete) Strictly; rigorously.
  • * 1593 , , III. ii. 20:
    • Proceed no straiter 'gainst our uncle Gloucester

    Anagrams

    *