tightenv.
/ˈtʌɪt(ə)n/ 1. intransitive for passive.1973 Daily Tel. 9 Feb. 2/8 Yellow line no-waiting regulations are to tighten up in London.
a. transitive. To draw tight or tighter; to make taut or tense, to draw close; hence, to fix tightly, to make strict or rigid; to secure. Also figurative.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > wholeness > mutual relation of parts to whole > fastening > condition of being fast bound or firmly fixed > make fast [verb (transitive)] > tighten (bands, cords, knots, nuts)
strainc1300
restrainc1425
strait1557
straiten1647
jam1726
tighten1727
1727 N. Bailey Universal Etymol. Eng. Dict. II To Tighten, to make straight, as a Line, Cord, etc., also to dress after a tight Manner.
1755 S. Johnson Dict. Eng. Lang. To Tighten, to straiten, make close.
1774 O. Goldsmith Hist. Earth VII. 257 The spider only wants to have one end of the line fast, in order to secure and tighten the other.
1810 W. Scott Lady of Lake i. 9 What reins were tightened in despair.
1846 F. Brittan tr. J. F. Malgaigne Man. Operative Surg. 39 The stitches should not be tightened until all the threads are in; and the rule is, that those of the middle, or angles, should be first tightened.
1859 M. I. O. Gascoigne Handbk. Turning (new ed.) 59 If it cuts too deep, tighten the screws a little more.
1896 Lady A. Kerr Life Seb. Valfré 232 We find him..revising and tightening-up the rules of a community.
b. To press closely together; to pack; to compress. Also figurative.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > extension in space > reduction in size or extent > reduce in size or extent [verb (transitive)] > compress or constrict
thrumc1275
constrainc1374
nip1381
rinea1398
compress1398
withstrainc1400
coarctc1420
pincha1425
strain1426
nipe1440
thrumble1513
comprime?1541
astrict1548
sneap1598
cling1601
wring1603
constringe1609
coarctate1620
compinge1621
choke1635
compel1657
cramp1673
hunch1738
constrict1759
tighten1853
scrunch1861
throttle1863
1853 E. K. Kane U.S. Grinnell Exped. xvi. 123 A gradually increasing breeze from the E.S.E...had tightened the floes.
1854 P. Fairbairn Typology Script. (ed. 2) I. i. i. 49 A type, so tightened and compressed as to admit of nothing but what pertained to ‘the tabernacle worship’.
c. absol. = tight-lace vb. at tight-lacing n. Derivatives. colloquial.
ΘΚΠ
the world > textiles and clothing > clothing > wearing clothing > [verb (intransitive)] > in specific way > types of
to cover (one's head)c1340
scrub1590
wimple1591
sag1592
to go thina1610
to be covered1611
rustlea1616
to keep on1621
veil1714
to shake (have) a cloth in the wind1834
smock-frock1840
pad1873
tighten1896
tight-lace1898
1896 Daily News 29 Oct. 9/5 A fellow servant..used to ask why ‘she didn't tighten a little more’.
2. intransitive. To grow tight or tense; to be stretched tight or drawn close. Frequently const. up. Also figurative.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > constitution of matter > hardness > types of hardness > [verb (intransitive)] > become taut
tauten1834
tighten1846
society > authority > strictness > make more strict or severe [verb (transitive)]
exasperate1597
sharpen1709
straiten1751
tighten1897
1846 W. S. Landor Imaginary Conversat. in Wks. II. 118/1 My skin seemed too small for them, it tightened so.
1868 J. E. T. Rogers Man. Polit. Econ. xi. 147 As the market tightens..the rate of discount rises.
1871 L. Stephen Playground of Europe (1894) vii. 158 The rope once or twice tightened unpleasantly.
1897 T. C. Allbutt et al. Syst. Med. II. 788 The radial artery is felt to tighten day by day.
1933 P. Godfrey Back-stage vi. 86 As the day of the dress rehearsal draws near the acting tightens up.
1947 Milwaukee (Wisconsin) Jrnl. 25 Apr. 2 His stomach tightened up on him.
1959 Listener 2 July 24/3 We should alter the tax laws to tighten up on tax-dodging.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > order > put in order [verb (reflexive)] > put in order or tidy
spruce1598
adjust1728
tight1775
tighten1786
the mind > attention and judgement > beautification > beautification of the person > beautify the person [verb (reflexive)]
preenc1395
prunec1395
prank1546
to set oneself out to the life1604
adonize1611
briska1625
tight1775
to make up1778
tighten1786
smarten1796
pretty1868
tart1938
pansy1946
sharpen1952
primp1959
1786 A. M. Bennett Juvenile Indiscretions II. 113 Her daughter was run up to tighten herself, fit, as she said, to walk with them.
Derivatives
ˈtightening n. and adj.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > constitution of matter > hardness > types of hardness > [noun] > tautness > making taut
bendingc1440
screw1628
tightening1825
tautening1836
the world > matter > constitution of matter > hardness > types of hardness > [adjective] > taut > becoming or making taut
tightening1825
the world > relative properties > wholeness > mutual relation of parts to whole > fastening > condition of being fast bound or firmly fixed > [adjective] > tightening
tightening1825
the world > relative properties > wholeness > mutual relation of parts to whole > fastening > condition of being fast bound or firmly fixed > [noun] > making fast or securing > tightening
tightening1825
1825 ‘J. Nicholson’ Operative Mechanic 34 Placing the tightening roller in the position represented by the dotted lines.
1825 ‘J. Nicholson’ Operative Mechanic 806 Two of the bracing chains, with their tightening shackle.
1836 W. Irving Astoria I. 139 The tightening of the padding and the pressing of the head to the board is gradual.
1877 E. H. Knight Pract. Dict. Mech. Tightening pulley, one which rests against the band in order to tighten it.
1902 Words Eyewitness 135 Men..who would have met untold sorrow with but a tightening of the lips.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1912; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
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