straight-from-the-shoulder s characterized by directness in manner or speech; without subtlety or evasion Usage(s) Nixon went out of his way for straight-from-the-shoulder talk in Uruguay. The Indian emissaries got plenty of straight-from-the-shoulder advice in Washington and New York. Kinmond asked straight-from-the-shoulder questions and often got surprisingly frank replies from English-speaking guides and government officials. Synonym(s) blunt candid forthright frank free-spoken outspoken plainspoken point-blank
Quotes straight-from-the-shoulder Robert Gates in San Jose Mercury News As an example, Gates noted that the situation in Afghanistan "is at risk" and said he will visit Iraq right away to get "unvarnished and straight-from-the-shoulder" advice from military commanders on the ground.