Strait vs Inlet - What's the difference?

As nouns the difference between strait and inlet

is that strait is a narrow channel of water connecting two larger bodies of water while inlet is a body of water let into a coast, such as a bay, cove, fjord or estuary.

As verbs the difference between strait and inlet

is that strait is to put to difficulties while inlet is to let in; admit.

As an adjective strait

is narrow; restricted as to space or room; close.

As an adverb strait

is strictly; rigorously.

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

inlet

English

Etymology 1

From (etyl) inleten, equivalent to .

Verb

To let in; admit.

To insert; inlay.

:* {{quote-web

, date=2012-12-17 , year= , first= , last= , author= , authorlink= , title=Archeologists Unearth Alien-Like Skulls In A Mexico Cemetery , site=RedOrbit citation , archiveorg= , accessdate=2013-03-13 , passage=The team said that many of the bones unearthed were the remains of children, leading them to believe the practice of deforming skulls “may have been inlet and dangerous.” }}

Etymology 2

From (etyl) .

Noun

(wikipedia inlet) (en noun)

A body of water let into a coast, such as a bay, cove, fjord or estuary.

A passage that leads into a cavity.

* 1748 . HUME, David. An enquiry concerning human understanding. In: L. A. SELBY-BIGGE, M. A. Enquiries concerning the human understanding and concerning the principles of moral. 2. ed. London: Oxford University Press, 1973. § 15.

by opening this new inlet''' for sensations, you also open an '''inlet for the ideas;

Anagrams

* * *