Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Topic: GEOLOGY

Date: 1300-1400
Origin: strait 'narrow' (13-20 centuries), from Old French estreit, from Latin strictus; STRICT

strait

 noun
     
strait [countable]
1 also straits [plural]SG a narrow passage of water between two areas of land, usually connecting two seas:
the Bering Strait
2

be in dire straits

to be in a very difficult situation, especially a financial one:
After the war the country's economy was in dire straits.
Definition of strait from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English within
the topic GEOLOGY
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