straighten up and fly right
Act more responsibly
Straighten up and fly right means to correct one's behavior and act responsibly.
The phrase implies someone has been acting foolishly or irresponsibly and needs to reform: After his arrest, his mother told him to straighten up and fly right.
The aviation metaphor suggests getting back on course after veering off.
- amendModify or correct
- on the levelHonest and trustworthy
- improveRaise in quality
- correctFree from error
- reformImprove by correcting faults
get your act together · shape up · adjust · rehabilitate · do the right thing · accountability · integrity · maturity · tidy · neaten · self-control · align · turn over a new leaf · rectify · organize · diligence · behavior · recalibrate
straighten up and fly rightmisbehave
Conduct oneself poorly
act up · go off the rails · get into trouble · raise hell · run wild
straighten up and fly rightgo to the dogs
Decline in quality drastically
go downhill · self-destruct · backslide · lose one's way · fall from grace
straight, straighten, straightened, straightening, straighter, straightest, straightness, flying, rights