straight, noun

Origin:
Perhaps transferred sense of U.S. slang straight unadulterated whisky, very strong whisky.
In township slang: a 750 ml (formerly one-quart) bottle of liquor. Cf. half-jack.
1958 K.M.C. Motsisi in M. Mutloatse Casey & Co. (1978) 16Now here I am..wondering when Kid Hangover is going to throw another midnite party..so’s he can pay me back the three quid I loaned him so’s I can pay Aunt Peggy for the ‘straights’ I got on tick the month before.
1959 L. Longmore Dispossessed 222African women who buy large quantities of liquor from dealers and traders..may not sell a whole bottle of brandy or gin but measure out tots for 2s. 6d., nips for 5s., half-jacks for 10s., or a straight (a full bottle) for £1 or 30s.
1965 K.M.C. Motsisi in Drum Dec. 11As the party started getting real hot I saw Kid G. trying to make off with a straight of mahog.
a1968 D.C. Themba in E. Patel World of Can Themba (1985) 79Boet Mike said, ‘Straight.’ And they brought a bottle of brandy that looked like guilty blood.
1975 Drum 22 Apr. 13Men like him, who never had the opportunity to own a straight of whisky,..never had three good meals in one day.
1994 H. Masekela on TV1, 16 Nov. (People of South)A full bottle was a straight, then there was a three-quarter, and a half was a half-jack, and then there was a nip.
a 750 ml (formerly one-quart) bottle of liquor.
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