Why does "straight-laced" come from?
Question
One my girlfriend has been asking me: Why does the phrase “straight-laced” come from?
Aaron, Victoria
Answer
Name: Paul, Epsom
Qualification: My brother was told this as an engineering officer in the Navy
Answer: It’s to do with safety. When there was an accident and they need to remove someone’s shoe, if the laces are laced straight, they would easily be able to cut through them. They couldn’t do this if the laces were tied-up crossed. It’s the same with a corset and army boots.
Name: Eve, Wembley
Qualification:
Answer: You’ve got the wrong straight. It’s actually “strait-laced” – as in strait-jacket, which means a tight or restricted garment. So straight-laced means restricted in your manners or morals.
(James O’Brien: That’s the definition of strait. But why straight-laced? I think it’s corsets!)