tight

 
Pronunciation: /tʌɪt/

adjective

  • 1fixed, fastened, or closed firmly; hard to move, undo, or open: she twisted her handkerchief into a tight knot I prised the tight lid off with my knife
  • (of clothes or shoes) close-fitting, especially uncomfortably so: the dress was too tight for her a tight-fitting top
  • (of a grip) very firm: she released her tight hold on the dog figurative presidential advisers keep a tight grip on domestic policy
  • (of a ship, building, or object) well sealed against something such as water or air: [in combination]: a light-tight container
  • 2(of a rope, fabric, or surface) stretched so as to leave no slack; not loose: the drawcord pulls tight
  • (of part of the body) feeling painful and constricted as a result of anxiety or illness: there was a tight feeling in his gut
  • (of appearance or manner) tense, irritated, or angry: she gave him a tight smile
  • (of a rule or form of control) strictly imposed: security was tight at yesterday’s ceremony
  • (of a written work or form) concise, condensed, or well structured: a tight argument
  • (of an organization or group of people) disciplined or well coordinated: the vocalists are strong and the band is tight
  • 3(of an area or space) having or allowing little room for manoeuvre: a tight parking spot it was a tight squeeze in the tiny vestibule
  • (of a bend, turn, or angle) changing direction sharply; having a short radius: the coach failed to negotiate the tight bend
  • (of money or time) limited or restricted: David was out of work and money was tight an ability to work to tight deadlines
  • 4(of a formation or group) closely or densely packed together: he levered the bishop out from a tight knot of clerical wives
  • (of a community or other group of people) having close relations; tight-knit: New York’s tight Orthodox Jewish community the folk were far too tight to let anyone know
  • 5(of a game or contest) with evenly matched competitors; very close: he won in a tight finish
  • 6British informal not willing to spend or give much money; mean: he is tight with his money
  • 7 [predic.] informal drunk: he got tight on brandy

adverb

  • very firmly, closely, or tensely: he went downstairs, holding tight to the bannisters

Phrases

run a tight ship

be very strict in managing an organization or operation.

a tight corner (or spot or place)

a difficult situation: her talent for talking her way out of tight corners

Derivatives

tightly

adverb

tightness

noun

Origin:

Middle English (in the sense 'healthy, vigorous', later 'firm, solid'): probably an alteration of thight 'firm, solid', later 'close-packed, dense', of Germanic origin; related to German dicht 'dense, close'