tighten

Hello, you have come here looking for the meaning of the word tighten. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word tighten, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say tighten in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word tighten you have here. The definition of the word tighten will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition oftighten, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.

English

Etymology

Equivalent to tight +‎ -en. From Middle English tighten, from Old English tyhtan.

Pronunciation

Verb

tighten (third-person singular simple present tightens, present participle tightening, simple past and past participle tightened)

  1. (transitive) To make tighter.
    Please tighten that screw a quarter-turn.
    • 1760, Francis Fawkes, Works of Anacreon, Sappho, Bion, Moschus, and Musæus translated into English by a gentleman of Cambridge:
      Just where I please, with tighten;d rein / I'll urge thee round the dusty plain.
  2. (intransitive) To become tighter.
    That joint is tightening as the wood dries.
  3. (economics) To make money harder to borrow or obtain.
    If the government doesn't tighten the money supply, inflation is certain to be harsh.
  4. (economics) To raise short-term interest rates.
    The Fed is expected to tighten by a quarter-point.

Antonyms

  • (antonym(s) of "make tighter"): loosen

Derived terms

Derived terms

Related terms

Translations

Anagrams

Wikious
Boobota
Sagapedia