Word: tight Part of Speech: adj Etymology: 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, which come from a different Proto-Indo-European root (starting with *d- and thus regularly having t-). Pronunciation: /taɪt/ 1. Firmly held together; compact; not loose or open. Example: a tight sponge; a tight knot Example: Pull your seatbelts tight before takeoff. 2. Firmly held together; compact; not loose or open. Example: tight control on a situation 3. Firmly held together; compact; not loose or open. Example: Make sure to pull the rope tight. Example: The face which emerged was not reassuring. It was blunt and grey, the nose springing thick and flat from high on the frontal bone of the forehead, whilst his eyes were narrow slits of dark in a tight bandage of tissue. […]. 4. Firmly held together; compact; not loose or open. Labels: colloquial Example: I grew up in a poor neighborhood; money was very tight, but we made do. Example: China’s currency, the jenminpi, has remained stable; the Chinese assert that it is the "world’s most stable currency." This is generally conceded to be the result of the care with which the Chinese economy and its tight budget are managed. 5. Firmly held together; compact; not loose or open. Labels: figuratively, informal Example: We've grown tighter over the years. Example: The drawbacks of being in a too-tight couple (there's no room to blow your nose) 6. Firmly held together; compact; not loose or open. Labels: derogatory, figuratively, slang, usually Example: He's a bit tight with his money. Example: You say he's a Jew, does it mean that he's tight? 7. Firmly held together; compact; not loose or open. Labels: slang Example: I started gambling when you were about four. Your mom and I were pretty tight for cash and I thought what the heck, it could get us some quick money. 8. Narrow, such that it is difficult for something or someone to pass through it. Example: The passageway was so tight we could barely get through. Example: They flew in a tight formation. 9. Narrow, such that it is difficult for something or someone to pass through it. Example: tight clothing; a tight coat; My socks are too tight. 10. Narrow, such that it is difficult for something or someone to pass through it. Example: The mountain pass was made dangerous by its many tight corners. 11. Narrow, such that it is difficult for something or someone to pass through it. Example: He reported the hull was tight and secure and did not leak a drop. Example: Security is tight inside and outside the building, guarded by a bewildering collection of soldiers, policemen and gendarmes. Relatives watch as prisoners in handcuffs and leg irons shuffle past. 12. Narrow, such that it is difficult for something or someone to pass through it. Example: Frank ended up fourth in a tight finish, only three-quarter of a length from first money. Example: Syracuse had built another good first half lead of 11 points. In the second half, however, Kansas came back and the score was tight through the rest of the game. In the final seconds, Syracuse led 81-78. 13. Well-rehearsed and accurate in execution. Example: Their marching band is extremely tight. 14. Well-rehearsed and accurate in execution. Example: The odd thing was that Sunderland made the better start and showed early signs that they might pose serious problems to the Premier League’s tightest defence. 15. Intoxicated; drunk. Labels: slang Example: We went drinking and got tight. Example: And every single night when me da’ would come home tight he’d invite the neighbours out with this chorus. 16. Extraordinarily great or special. Labels: slang Example: That is one tight bicycle! 17. Mean; unfair; unkind. Labels: Northern-England, slang Example: Reilly: Ey, Miss, hang on, hang on... can we come with y', Miss? Can we? Digga: Go on, Miss, don't be tight, let's come. Example: "Ah leave him, ay!" goes one of the girls. "Don't be tight." I turns to her. "Don't you think it's tight terrorising old ladies? Ay?" 18. Limited or restricted. Example: We had a very tight schedule. Example: It is kept super-clean by helpful staff who still find the time to help customers with tight connections. 19. Not ragged; whole; neat; tidy. Labels: obsolete Example: clad very plain, but clean and tight Example: I'll spin and card, and keep our children tight. 20. Handy; adroit; brisk. Labels: obsolete Example: [S]ince we've sailed together, I've been conning over in my mind that the company of such miserable thieves and robbers was not to your liking, and would not suit such a tight lad with as good larning ^([sic]) as yourself. 21. Of a player, who plays very few hands. 22. Using a strategy which involves playing very few hands. 23. With understeer, primarily used to describe NASCAR stock cars. Labels: US, slang 24. Angry or irritated. Labels: New-York, slang Example: "I was trying to be like a lady, but y'all be getting me tight!" 25. Of a person, having a tight vagina or anus. Labels: slang, vulgar Example: She was much tighter than he thought she would be. It had been a while since she had anything but oral sex she had an adrenaline rush as she heart began to pound. Example: She was very tight and wet at the same time. He never had sex with a maiden before.