Dictionary

tighten en · VERB

Pronunciation

• [ˈtʰaɪ̯ʔn̩]
• (Southern-England) audio
• [ˈtʰaɪ̯tn̩]
• /ˈtaɪ.tən/

Etymology

Synchronically equivalent to tight + -en, but actually derived from Middle English tighten, from Old English tyhtan, thus originally unrelated to tight (Old English *þiht).

Meanings

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

Forms

Antonyms

liberate · divide · loosen (antonym(s) of “make tighter”)

Deriveds

tightenable · mistighten · pretighten · tighten down · tightener · belt-tighten · untighten · tighten one's belt · tighten up · tighteningly · overtighten · retighten · tighten the purse strings

Hyponyms

flex · overtighten · wrench · swifter · sinch · pull in · screw up · take in · collar · wind up

Relateds

tight

Synonyms

squeeze · constrict · tense · bind · tighten · cinch · brace · clench · tauten · taughten

Translations (82)

tr daralmak (to become tighter) · tr darlaşmak (to become tighter) · tr sıkmak (to make tighter) · fi tiukentaa (to make tighter) · sq shtrejtoj (to become tighter) · ru натяну́ть (to make tighter) · es ajustar (to make tighter) · fr serrer (to make tighter) · fi kiristää (to make tighter) · fi tiukentua (to become tighter) · cs dotáhnout (to make tighter) · mi whakawhena (to make tighter) · bg опъвам се (to become tighter) · mr घट्ट होणे (to become tighter) · nl aandraaien (to make tighter) · tr kısmak (to make money harder to obtain) · de straffen (to make tighter) · bg опъвам (to make tighter) · cs utáhnout (to make tighter) · tyz bọp (to make tighter) · ru натя́гивать (to make tighter) · ba һығыу (to make tighter) · zdj usasanya (to make tighter) · mbb heɣet (to make tighter) · izh kuristaa (to make tighter) · nl strakker doen (to make tighter) · fi korottaa (to raise interest rate) · sq shtrejtoj (to raise interest rate) · nap strenge (to make tighter) · as কচা (to make tighter) · fur strenzi (to make tighter) · es tensar (to make tighter) · ga dlúthaigh (to make tighter) · lld strenjer (to make tighter) · sv dra åt (to make tighter) · fr se resserrer (to become tighter) · pl zacieśniać się (to become tighter) · ru затя́гиваться (to become tighter) · es cinchar (to make tighter) · pt apertar (to make tighter) · ru натяну́ться (to become tighter) · sq ngushtoj (to become tighter) · hu feszül (to become tighter) · mi whakakikī (to make tighter) · ar شَدَّ (to make tighter) · es apretar (to make tighter) · lt veržti (to make tighter) · fur strengi (to make tighter) · bg стягам (to make tighter) · ota كرمك (to make tighter) · ru затяну́ться (to become tighter) · hu szorít (to make tighter) · ru затя́гивать (to make tighter) · el σφίγγω (to make tighter) · fi kiristyä (to become tighter) · sq ngushtoj (to make tighter) · es tensarse (to become tighter) · bg стягам се (to become tighter) · de anziehen (to make tighter) · ota قاصمق (to make tighter) · ar ضَيَّقَ (to make tighter) · pl zacieśniać (to make tighter) · ro strânge (to make tighter) · ca cenyir (to make tighter) · mr घट्ट करणे (to make tighter) · es endurecer la política monetaria (to make money harder to obtain) · izh tiukata (to make tighter) · ga dlúthaigh (to become tighter) · ru натя́гиваться (to become tighter) · lld strenje (to make tighter) · fi kiristää (to make money harder to obtain) · ru затяну́ть (to make tighter) · es ceñir (to make tighter) · fi nostaa korkoa (to raise interest rate) · nl strakker maken (to make tighter) · mi nonoti (to make tighter) · ar حَبَكَ (to make tighter) · la stringō (to make tighter) · izh kuristua (to become tighter) · fr resserrer les taux (to raise interest rate) · it stringere (to make tighter) · sq shtrëngoj (to make tighter)