Library / English Dictionary

    TIGHT

    Pronunciation (US): Play  (GB): Play

     I. (adjective) 

    Comparative and superlative

    Comparative: tighter  Listen to US pronunciation  Listen to GB pronunciation

    Superlative: tightest  Listen to US pronunciation  Listen to GB pronunciation

    Sense 1

    Meaning:

    Affected by scarcity and expensive to borrowplay

    Example:

    a tight market

    Classified under:

    Adjectives

    Similar:

    scarce (deficient in quantity or number compared with the demand)

    Domain category:

    economic science; economics; political economy (the branch of social science that deals with the production and distribution and consumption of goods and services and their management)

    Derivation:

    tightness (a state occasioned by scarcity of money and a shortage of credit)

    Sense 2

    Meaning:

    Packed closely togetherplay

    Example:

    the pub was packed tight

    Classified under:

    Adjectives

    Similar:

    compact (closely and firmly united or packed together)

    Sense 3

    Meaning:

    Demanding strict attention to rules and proceduresplay

    Example:

    stringent safety measures

    Synonyms:

    rigorous; stringent; tight

    Classified under:

    Adjectives

    Similar:

    demanding (requiring more than usually expected or thought due; especially great patience and effort and skill)

    Sense 4

    Meaning:

    Exasperatingly difficult to handle or circumventplay

    Example:

    a good man to have on your side in a tight situation

    Synonyms:

    nasty; tight

    Classified under:

    Adjectives

    Similar:

    difficult; hard (not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure)

    Sense 5

    Meaning:

    Very drunkplay

    Synonyms:

    besotted; blind drunk; blotto; cockeyed; crocked; fuddled; loaded; pie-eyed; pissed; pixilated; plastered; slopped; sloshed; smashed; soaked; soused; sozzled; squiffy; stiff; tight; wet

    Classified under:

    Adjectives

    Similar:

    drunk; gone; inebriated; intoxicated; ripped (stupefied or excited by a chemical substance (especially alcohol))

    Domain usage:

    argot; cant; jargon; lingo; patois; slang; vernacular (a characteristic language of a particular group (as among thieves))

    Sense 6

    Meaning:

    (of a contest or contestants) evenly matchedplay

    Example:

    a tight game

    Synonyms:

    close; tight

    Classified under:

    Adjectives

    Similar:

    equal (having the same quantity, value, or measure as another)

    Sense 7

    Meaning:

    (used of persons or behavior) characterized by or indicative of lack of generosityplay

    Example:

    he left a miserly tip

    Synonyms:

    mean; mingy; miserly; tight

    Classified under:

    Adjectives

    Similar:

    stingy; ungenerous (unwilling to spend (money, time, resources, etc.))

    Derivation:

    tightness (extreme stinginess)

    Sense 8

    Meaning:

    Of such close construction as to be impermeableplay

    Example:

    warm in our tight little house

    Classified under:

    Adjectives

    Similar:

    air-tight; airtight; gas-tight (not allowing air or gas to pass in or out)

    dripless (designed to prevent dripping)

    hermetic (completely sealed; completely airtight)

    leakproof (not subject to leaks)

    rainproof; waterproof; waterproofed (not permitting the passage of water)

    snug (well and tightly constructed)

    watertight (not allowing water to pass in or out)

    Also:

    seaworthy (fit for a sea voyage)

    impermeable (preventing especially liquids to pass or diffuse through)

    tight (closely constrained or constricted or constricting)

    Antonym:

    leaky (permitting the unwanted passage of fluids or gases)

    Sense 9

    Meaning:

    Closely constrained or constricted or constrictingplay

    Example:

    a tight feeling in his chest

    Classified under:

    Adjectives

    Similar:

    choky (so tight as to tend to choke)

    clenched; clinched (closed or squeezed together tightly)

    close; close-fitting; snug (fitting closely but comfortably)

    skin-tight; skintight (so tight as to cling to the skin)

    skinny; tight-fitting; tight fitting; tightfitting; tightly fitting (fitting snugly)

    viselike (clamped as in a vise)

    Also:

    tight (of such close construction as to be impermeable)

    tense (taut or rigid; stretched tight)

    Antonym:

    loose (not tight; not closely constrained or constricted or constricting)

    Derivation:

    tightness (a tight feeling in some part of the body)

    Sense 10

    Meaning:

    Pressed tightly togetherplay

    Example:

    with lips compressed

    Synonyms:

    compressed; tight

    Classified under:

    Adjectives

    Similar:

    closed; shut (used especially of mouth or eyes)

    Sense 11

    Meaning:

    Securely or solidly fixed in place; rigidplay

    Example:

    the bolts are tight

    Classified under:

    Adjectives

    Similar:

    secure (not likely to fail or give way)

    Sense 12

    Meaning:

    Of textilesplay

    Example:

    smooth percale with a very tight weave

    Synonyms:

    close; tight

    Classified under:

    Adjectives

    Similar:

    fine (of textures that are smooth to the touch or substances consisting of relatively small particles)

    Sense 13

    Meaning:

    Pulled or drawn tightplay

    Example:

    a tight rope

    Synonyms:

    taut; tight

    Classified under:

    Adjectives

    Similar:

    tense (taut or rigid; stretched tight)

    Derivation:

    tightness (lack of movement or room for movement)

    Sense 14

    Meaning:

    Set so close together as to be invulnerable to penetrationplay

    Example:

    a tight blockade

    Classified under:

    Adjectives

    Similar:

    invulnerable (immune to attack; impregnable)

    Derivation:

    tightness (the spatial property of being crowded together)

     II. (adverb) 

    Sense 1

    Meaning:

    Firmly or closelyplay

    Example:

    held tight

    Synonyms:

    fast; tight

    Classified under:

    Adverbs

    Sense 2

    Meaning:

    In an attentive mannerplay

    Example:

    he remained close on his guard

    Synonyms:

    close; closely; tight

    Classified under:

    Adverbs

    Credits

     Context examples: 

    The hair is short, thick and tight to its body.

    (Doberman Pinscher, NCI Thesaurus)

    This allele, which encodes cingulin-like protein 1, is involved in the formation of tight junctions.

    (CGNL1 wt Allele, NCI Thesaurus)

    This gene plays a role in tight junction organization.

    (CGNL1 Gene, NCI Thesaurus)

    Some coats can be course, but most are short and tight.

    (Catahoula Leopard Dog, NCI Thesaurus)

    The cadherins are cell surface adhesion molecules that help form tight junctions between cells, such as in formation of epithelial cell layers.

    (Cell to Cell Adhesion Signaling Pathway, NCI Thesaurus/BIOCARTA)

    “It's Copperfield!” and rushed into my arms, where I held him tight.

    (David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

    But the Tin Woodman caught the dog in his arms and held him tight, while he called to the mice, "Come back! Come back! Toto shall not hurt you."

    (The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, by L. Frank Baum)

    Now the unknown had caught tight hold of him.

    (White Fang, by Jack London)

    "Iss!" and Demi shut his eyes tight, as if to catch sleep and hurry the desired day.

    (Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

    This gene plays a role in tight junction formation.

    (AMOT Gene, NCI Thesaurus)


    © 1991-2023 The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin | Titi Tudorancea® is a Registered Trademark | Terms of use and privacy policy
    Contact