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Definition of tight adjective from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

tight

adjective
 
 
/taɪt/
 
/taɪt/
(comparative tighter, superlative tightest)
Idioms
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    firm

  1.  
     held or fixed in position securely; difficult to move, open or separate
    • He kept a tight grip on her arm.
    • She twisted her hair into a tight knot.
    • The screw was so tight that it wouldn't move.
    • Dave's arms were tight around her waist.
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryverbs
    • be
    • feel
    • look
    • …
    adverb
    • extremely
    • fairly
    • very
    • …
    See full entry
    2.

    clothes

  2.  
     fitting closely to your body and sometimes uncomfortable
    • She was wearing a tight pair of jeans.
    • These shoes are much too tight.
    • The new sweater was a tight fit.
    • The dress is a little tight across the chest.
    opposite loose see also skintightTopics Clothes and Fashionb1
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryverbs
    • be
    • feel
    • look
    • …
    adverb
    • extremely
    • fairly
    • very
    • …
    See full entry
    3.

    money/time

  3.  
     difficult to manage with because there is not enough
    • We have a very tight budget.
    • The president has a tight schedule today.
    • The deadline for finishing the project is too tight (= too soon).
    • I think we'd better leave—time's getting very tight.
    • As always, money is tight.
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryverbs
    • be
    • look
    • seem
    • …
    adverb
    • extremely
    • fairly
    • very
    • …
    See full entry
    4.

    control

  4.  
     very strict and hard to resist, avoid, etc.
    • to keep tight control over something
    • Dozens of streets are being closed and security is tight.
    • We need tighter security at the airport.
    • Are the controls tight enough?
    • tight restrictions/regulations
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryverbs
    • be
    • seem
    • become
    • …
    adverb
    • extremely
    • fairly
    • very
    • …
    See full entry
    5.

    stretched

  5. stretched or pulled so that it cannot stretch much further
    • The rope was stretched tight.
    • The constant pull of the river will keep your line tight.
    • He drew the cord tighter with a jerk.
    • Pull in your navel and keep your abs tight.
    Extra Examples
    • Every muscle in her face was drawn tight.
    • The cloth was stretched tight over the frame.
    • The rope suddenly went tight.
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryverbs
    • be
    • feel
    • look
    • …
    adverb
    • extremely
    • fairly
    • very
    • …
    See full entry
    6.

    close together

  6. [usually before noun] with things or people packed closely together, leaving little space between them
    • There was a tight group of people around the speaker.
    • With six of us in the car it was a tight squeeze.
    • She managed to reverse into a tight parking space.
    7.

    expression/voice

  7. looking or sounding anxious, upset or angry
    • ‘I'm sorry,’ she said, with a tight smile.
    see also uptightTopics Feelingsc2

    8. part of body

  8. feeling painful or uncomfortable because of illness or emotion synonym constricted
    • He complained of having a tight chest.
    • As she looked at her baby, her throat felt tight.
    9.

    relationship

  9. having a close relationship with somebody else or with other people
    • It was a tight community and newcomers were not welcome.
    see also tight-knit

    10. bend/curve

  10. curving suddenly rather than gradually
    • The driver slowed down at a tight bend in the road.
    • The plane flew around in a tight circle.
    11.

    contest/race

  11. with runners, teams, etc. that seem to be equally good synonym close2
    • a tight race
    12.

    not generous

  12. (informal, disapproving) not wanting to spend much money; not generous synonym mean
    • He's very tight with his money.
    13.

    drunk

  13. [not usually before noun] (old-fashioned, informal) drunk synonym tipsy

    14. -tight

  14. (in compounds) not allowing the substance mentioned to enter
    • measures to make your home weathertight
    see also airtight, watertight
    15. see also high and tight
    Word OriginMiddle 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’.
Idioms
in a (tight) spot | in a tight corner
  1. (informal) in a difficult situation
    • She’ll always help if you’re in a tight spot.
    • The captain's knee injury leaves the team in a tight corner.
    Topics Dangerc2
keep a tight rein on somebody/something
  1. to control somebody/something carefully or strictly
    • It’s essential to keep a tight rein on public spending.
run a tight ship
  1. to organize something in a very efficient way, controlling other people very closely
See tight in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee tight in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English
Check pronunciation: tight

Nearby words

trait
noun
 
 
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