tight
tight [tight tighter tightest] adjective, adverb BrE [taɪt] NAmE [taɪt]
adjective (tight·er, tight·est)
FIRM
1. held or fixed in position firmly; difficult to move or undo
• He kept a tight grip on her arm.
• She twisted her hair into a tight knot.
•The screw was so tight that it wouldn't move.
CLOTHES
2. fitting closely to your body and sometimes uncomfortable
• She was wearing a tight pair of jeans.
• These shoes are much too tight.
•The new sweater was a tight fit.
Opp: ↑loose
see also ↑skintight
CONTROL
3. very strict and firm
•to keep tight control over sth
• We need tighter security at the airport.
STRETCHED
4. stretched or pulled so that it cannot stretch much further
• The rope was stretched tight.
CLOSE TOGETHER
5. usually before noun with things or people packed closely together, leaving little space between them
• There was a tight group of people around the speaker.
•With six of us in the car it was a tight squeeze.
MONEY/TIME
6. difficult to manage with because there is not enough
•We have a very tight budget.
•The president has a tight schedule today.
•The deadline for finishing the project is too tight (= too soon).
EXPRESSION/VOICE
7. looking or sounding anxious, upset, angry, etc
•‘I'm sorry,’ she said, with a tight smile.
see also ↑uptight
PART OF BODY
8. feeling painful or uncomfortable because of illness or emotion
Syn: ↑constricted
•He complained of having a tight chest.
•Her throat felt tight, just looking at her baby.
RELATIONSHIP
9. having a close relationship with sb else or with other people
•It was a tight community and newcomers were not welcome.
see also ↑tight-knit
BEND/CURVE
10. curving suddenly rather than gradually
•The driver slowed down at a tight bend in the road.
•The plane flew around in a tight circle.
CONTEST/RACE
11. with runners, teams, etc. that seem to be equally good
Syn: ↑close
•a tight race
NOT GENEROUS
12. (informal, disapproving)not wanting to spend much money; not generous
Syn: ↑mean
•He's very tight with his money.
DRUNK
13. not usually before noun (old-fashioned, informal)drunk
Syn: ↑tipsy
-TIGHT
14. (in compounds)not allowing the substance mentioned to enter
•measures to make your home weathertight
see also ↑airtight, ↑watertight
Word Origin:
Middle English (in the sense ‘healthy, vigorous’, later ‘firm, solid’): probably an alteration of thight ‘firm, solid’, later ‘close-packed, dense’, of Germanic origin; related to German dicht ‘dense, close’.
Example Bank:
•Every muscle in her face was drawn tight.
•I think we'd better leave— time's getting very tight.
•Keep the rope tight.
•Security at the airport remains tight.
•The cloth was stretched tight over the frame.
•The rope suddenly went tight.
•Those jeans are getting too tight for me.
•She managed to reverse into a tight parking space.
•The screw was so tight that it wouldn't move.
•With six of us in the car it was a tight squeeze.
•Are the controls tight enough?
•Those jeans have got too tight and I can't wear them any more.
Idioms: ↑keep a tight rein on somebody ▪ ↑run a tight ship ▪ ↑tight spot
Derived Word: ↑tightness
adverb (tight·er, tight·est)
closely and firmly; tightly
•Hold tight!
• My suitcase was packed tight.
•His fists were clenched tight.
see sit tight at ↑sit, sleep tight at ↑sleep v.
Word Origin:
Middle English (in the sense ‘healthy, vigorous’, later ‘firm, solid’): probably an alteration of thight ‘firm, solid’, later ‘close-packed, dense’, of Germanic origin; related to German dicht ‘dense, close’.
Which Word?:
tight / tightly
Tight and tightly are both adverbs that come from the adjective tight. They have the same meaning, but tight is often used instead of tightly after a verb, especially in informal language, and in compounds: ▪ packed tight ◇ ▪ a tight-fitting lid. Before a past participle tightly is used: ▪ clusters of tightly packed flowers.
Example Bank:
•He held his children tight.
•Shut your eyes tight.
•His jaw was clenched tight.
•You didn't tie it tight enough.
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