taut

adjective

• stretched or pulled tight; not slack:the fabric stays taut without adhesive
• (especially of muscles or nerves) tense; not relaxed: my voice was taut with anger
• (of writing, music, etc.) concise and controlled:a taut text of only a hundred and twenty pages
• (of a ship) having a disciplined and efficient crew: his language was salty and he ran a taut ship