the periodic rise and fall of the waters of the ocean and its inlets, produced by the attraction of the moon and sun, and occurring about every 12 hours.
the inflow, outflow, or current of water at any given place resulting from the waves of tides.
flood tide.
a stream or current.
anything that alternately rises and falls, increases and decreases, etc.: the tide of the seasons.
current, tendency, or drift, as of events or ideas: the tide of international events.
any extreme or critical period or condition: The tide of her illness is at its height.
a season or period in the course of the year, day, etc. (now used chiefly in combination): wintertide; eventide.
Ecclesiastical. a period of time that includes and follows an anniversary, festival, etc.
Archaic. a suitable time or occasion.
Obsolete. an extent of time.
verb (used without object),tid·ed,tid·ing.
to flow as the tide; flow to and fro.
to float or drift with the tide.
verb (used with object),tid·ed,tid·ing.
to carry, as the tide does.
Verb Phrases
tide over,
to assist in getting over a period of difficulty or distress.
to surmount (a difficulty, obstacle, etc.); survive.
Idioms for tide
turn the tide, to reverse the course of events, especially from one extreme to another: The Battle of Saratoga turned the tide of the American Revolution.
Origin of tide
1
before 900; Middle English (noun); Old English tīd time, hour; cognate with Dutch tijd,German Zeit,Old Norse tīth; akin to time
But the tide was turning on this issue, an email from another constituent made clear.
Jeb Bush’s Unseen Anti-Gay Marriage Emails|Jackie Kucinich|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Objectively, they are not just riding with the tide, but helping to guide its very direction.
Corporations Are No Longer Silent on LGBT Issues||December 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Republican legislatures are looking for any way to stem the tide, and religious exemptions are one way to do that.
RFRA Madness: What’s Next for Anti-Democratic ‘Religious Exemptions’|Jay Michaelson|November 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In June only the three days were available, because of tide and moon: the fifth, the sixth, and the seventh.
Blood in the Sand: When James Jones Wrote a Grunt’s View of D-Day|James Jones|November 15, 2014|DAILY BEAST
That cycle of intelligence-gathering and capturing or killing fighters helped turn the tide of combat operations.
ISIS Keeps Getting Better at Dodging U.S. Spies|Shane Harris, Noah Shachtman|November 14, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Cattle standing in the fields were overwhelmed, and their carcasses strewed the tide.
History of the Johnstown Flood|Willis Fletcher Johnson
She struggled against it at first as against an anæsthetic, but the thing crept over her like a tide.
Beggars on Horseback|F. Tennyson Jesse
From the tide of population now flowing into them it is highly probable that this will soon occur.
A Compilation of the Messages and Papers of the Presidents: Polk|Compiled by James D. Richardson
In cellars near the river the tide rose and fell, compelling the tenants "to keep the children in bed till ebb-tide."
The Battle with the Slum|Jacob A. Riis.
Probably we had passed the place where a tide was setting against the wind.
Narrative of the surveying voyages of His Majesty's ships Adventure and Beagle, between the years 1826 and 1836|Robert FitzRoy
British Dictionary definitions for tide (1 of 2)
tide1
/ (taɪd) /
noun
the cyclic rise and fall of sea level caused by the gravitational pull of the sun and moon. There are usually two high tides and two low tides in each lunar daySee also tide-generating force, neap tide, spring tide
the current, ebb, or flow of water at a specified place resulting from these changes in levelthe tide is coming in
See ebb (def. 3), flood (def. 3)
a widespread tendency or movementthe tide of resentment against the government
a critical point in time; turning pointthe tide of his fortunes
Northern Englishdialecta fair or holiday
(in combination)a season or timeChristmastide
rareany body of mobile water, such as a stream
archaica favourable opportunity
verb
to carry or be carried with or as if with the tide
(intr)to ebb and flow like the tide
Derived forms of tide
tideless, adjectivetidelike, adjective
Word Origin for tide
Old English tīd time; related to Old High German zīt, Old Norse tīthr time
British Dictionary definitions for tide (2 of 2)
tide2
/ (taɪd) /
verb
(intr)archaicto happen
Word Origin for tide
Old English tīdan; related to Old Frisian tīdia to proceed to, Middle Low German tīden to hurry, Old Norse tītha to desire
The regular rise and fall in the surface level of the Earth's oceans, seas, and bays caused by the gravitational attraction of the Moon and to a lesser extent of the Sun. The maximum high tides (or spring tides) occur when the Moon and Sun are directly aligned with Earth, so that their gravitational pull on Earth's waters is along the same line and is reinforced. The lowest high tides (or neap tides) occur when the Moon and Sun are at right angles to each other, so that their gravitational pull on Earth's waters originates from two different directions and is mitigated. Tides vary greatly by region and are influenced by sea-floor topography, storms, and water currents. See also ebb tideflood tideneap tidespring tide.