tide

 
Pronunciation: /tʌɪd/

noun

  • the alternate rising and falling of the sea, usually twice in each lunar day at a particular place, due to the attraction of the moon and sun: the changing patterns of the tides [mass noun]: they were driven on by wind and tide
  • the water as affected by the tide: the rising tide covered the wharf
  • a powerful surge of feeling or trend of events: he drifted into sleep on a tide of euphoria we must reverse the growing tide of racism sweeping Europe

verb

  • [no object, with adverbial of direction] archaic drift with or as if with the tide.
  • (of a ship) work in or out of harbour with the help of the tide.

Phrasal Verbs

tide someone over

help someone through a difficult period, especially with financial assistance: she needed a small loan to tide her over

Derivatives

tideless

adjective

Origin:

Old English tīd 'time, period, era', of Germanic origin; related to Dutch tijd and German Zeit, also to time. The sense relating to the sea dates from late Middle English