strait
UK: streɪt | US: streɪt
n. 1. A narrow passage of water connecting two larger bodies of water.
n. 2. (Archaic) A situation of difficulty or distress.
adj. (Archaic) Narrow, strict, or rigorous.
The word "strait" originates from the Old French estreit (meaning "narrow, tight"), which itself derives from the Latin strictus (past participle of stringere, "to bind or tighten"). The Latin root reflects the idea of constriction, which evolved into the geographical sense of a "narrow waterway" in English. The archaic adjectival meaning ("strict" or "rigorous") also stems from this notion of tightness or constraint.
The Strait of Gibraltar connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea.
In times of financial straits, families often cut back on expenses.
(Archaic) The monk lived under strait rules of discipline.
The ship navigated carefully through the treacherous strait.
Explorers sought a northern strait to facilitate trade with Asia.