tight

English Online Dictionary. What means tight‎? What does tight mean?

English

Pronunciation

• enPR: tīt, IPA^(key): /taɪt/
• Rhymes: -aɪt

Etymology 1

From Middle English tight, tyght, tyȝt, tiht, variants of thight, thiht, from Old English *þiht, *þīht (attested in meteþiht), from Proto-West Germanic *þį̄ht(ī), from Proto-Germanic *þinhtaz, from Proto-Indo-European *tenkt- (“dense, thick, tight”), from Proto-Indo-European *ten- (“to stretch, pull”).

Cognate with Scots ticht, West Frisian ticht, Danish tæt, Icelandic þéttur (“dense”), Norwegian tett, Swedish tät, Dutch dicht (“dense”), German dicht (“dense”).

The current form with t- /t/ rather than etymologically-expected th- /θ/ arose in Middle English under the influence of the etymologically-unrelated verbs tighten and tight.

Adjective

tight (comparative tighter, superlative tightest)

1. Firmly held together; compact; not loose or open.
   1. Unyielding or firm.

   2. Under high tension; taut.
   3. (colloquial) Scarce, hard to come by.
   4. (colloquial, figurative) Intimately friendly.

   5. (slang, figurative, usually derogatory) Miserly or frugal.
2. (of a space, design or arrangement) Narrow, such that it is difficult for something or someone to pass through it.
   1. Fitting close, or too close, to the body.

   2. Of a turn, sharp, so that the timeframe for making it is narrow and following it is difficult.

   3. Lacking holes; difficult to penetrate; waterproof.
3. Well-rehearsed and accurate in execution.
   1. (sports) Not conceding many goals.
4. (slang) Intoxicated; drunk or acting like being drunk.
5. (slang) Extraordinarily great or special.

6. (slang, British, regional) Mean; unfair; unkind.
7. (of time) Limited or restricted.
8. (obsolete) Not ragged; whole; neat; tidy.
9. (obsolete) Handy; adroit; brisk.
10. (poker) Of a player, who plays very few hands. (Can we add an example for this sense?)
11. (poker) Using a strategy which involves playing very few hands. (Can we add an example for this sense?)
12. (informal, of persons) Intimate, close, close-knit.

    Synonym: thick as thieves

13. (US, slang, motor racing) With understeer, primarily used to describe NASCAR stock cars.
14. (New York, slang) Angry or irritated.
15. (Should we delete⁽⁺⁾ this sense?) (slang, vulgar, of either a woman's anus or her vagina) still intact due to her either still being a virgin or not having sexual intercourse often.
16. (slang, vulgar, of a person, especially a woman) Having a tight vagina or other orifice.

Synonyms

• (firmly held together): close, serried (of ranks); see also Thesaurus:tight
• (pushed/pulled together): crowded, dense; see also Thesaurus:compact
• (under high tension): taut, tense, under tension; see also Thesaurus:taut
• (miserly or frugal): niggardly, parsimonious; see also Thesaurus:stingy
• (narrow): narrow; see also Thesaurus:narrow
• (fitting close to the body): figure-hugging, snug, tight-fitting; see also Thesaurus:close-fitting
• (well-rehearsed and accurate): polished, precise; see also Thesaurus:meticulous
• (intimately friendly): close, close-knit, intimate
• (slang: intoxicated): blotto, plastered; see also Thesaurus:drunk
• (slang: extraordinarily great or special): ace, cool, fab, rad, slick; see also Thesaurus:excellent
• (slang: mean; unfair; unkind): see also Thesaurus:mean
• (not ragged): ruly, shipshape, trim; see also Thesaurus:orderly
• (handy; adroit; brisk): crafty, dexterous, skilful; see also Thesaurus:skilled

Antonyms

• (antonym(s) of “firmly held together”): baggy (of clothing or other material), loose, sagging, saggy, slack; see also Thesaurus:loose
• (antonym(s) of “pushed/pulled together”):
• (antonym(s) of “under high tension”): loose, relaxed, slack; see also Thesaurus:careless
• (antonym(s) of “miserly or frugal”): generous, prodigal, scattergood; see also Thesaurus:generous or Thesaurus:prodigal
• (antonym(s) of “narrow”): broad, capacious, open, roomy, spacious, wide; see also Thesaurus:wide
• (antonym(s) of “well-rehearsed and accurate”): slack, slapdash, sloppy
• (antonym(s) of “slang: intoxicated”): clearheaded, on the wagon; see also Thesaurus:sober
• (antonym(s) of “slang: extraordinarily great or special”): crap, naff, pathetic, rubbish; see also Thesaurus:bad
• (antonym(s) of “slang: mean; unfair; unkind”): nice, pleasant; see also Thesaurus:kindly
• (antonym(s) of “not ragged”): unruly, messy; see also Thesaurus:disorderly
• (antonym(s) of “handy; adroit; brisk”): bungling, maladroit, unskilful; see also Thesaurus:unskilled

Derived terms

Translations

Adverb

tight (comparative tighter, superlative tightest)

1. Firmly, so as not to come loose easily.
2. Soundly.

Synonyms

• (firmly): fast, firmly, securely
• (soundly): soundly, well

Antonyms

• (antonym(s) of “firmly”): loosely
• (antonym(s) of “soundly”): badly, fitfully

Derived terms

Translations

Etymology 2

From Middle English tighten, thyhten (“to make tight”), from the adjective (see above).

Verb

tight (third-person singular simple present tights, present participle tighting, simple past and past participle tighted)

1. (obsolete) To make tight; tighten.
2. (obsolete, of a vessel) To make water-tight.

Danish

Etymology

From English tight. Doublet of tæt.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /tajt/, [ˈtˢɑjd̥]

Adjective

tight (plural and definite singular attributive tighte)

1. tight (of cloths, finances, schedules)

   Synonym: stram

2. (music) tight (keeping time and with musical understanding)

References

• “tight” in Den Danske Ordbog

Italian

Etymology

Pseudo-anglicism, from English tight.

Noun

tight m (invariable)

1. morning suit, morning dress

Swedish

Etymology

Borrowed from English tight. First attested in 1968. Doublet of tät.

Adjective

tight (comparative tightare, superlative tightast)

1. Alternative form of tajt

Declension

References

• tight in Svensk ordbok (SO)
• tight in Svenska Akademiens ordlista (SAOL)
• tight in Svenska Akademiens ordbok (SAOB)