straighten

Straighten is a verb with several related meanings that revolve around removing curvature, misalignment, or disorder. The core sense is to cause something that is bent, twisted, or uneven to become straight, often by applying force, heat, or other adjustment.

In the physical world, straighten refers to correcting a bent or warped object. Examples include straightening a bent wire, a twisted tool, or a deformed nail. It can also mean aligning parts into a straight line or making a surface even and planar, such as after construction or repair work.

In relation to living posture or dress, straighten is used for actions like straightening up the body by standing tall, straightening one’s back, or straightening a collar or tie.

In hair care, straighten denotes making hair straight using methods such as heat styling or chemical relaxers, which alter the hair’s texture and profile for a smoother appearance.

Figuratively, straighten is common in phrases like straighten out, meaning to resolve a misunderstanding, clarify a situation, or set financial accounts and commitments in order. It also appears in contexts such as straightening a schedule or straightening an argument, where order and clarity are the goal.

In visual media and photography, straightening refers to correcting alignment of horizons or verticals, often by rotating an image or applying perspective correction to restore a non-distorted frame.