tide
n. countablen. the regular rise and fall of the ocean's water level. This happens twice a day because of the moon's pull on the Earth.
n. the periodic rise and fall of the sea level under the gravitational influence of the moon and sun. Often used metaphorically to describe a powerful trend or shift in public opinion.
The tide comes in and covers the beach every afternoon.
We had to move our towels further up the beach because the tide was rising quickly.
The fishing boats remained grounded in the harbor, waiting for the incoming tide to provide enough depth for them to clear the sandbar and reach the open sea.
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *deh₂y- Proto-Indo-European *-tis Proto-Indo-European *déh₂itis Proto-Germanic *tīdiz Proto-West Germanic *tīdi Old English tīd Middle English tyde English tide Inherited from Middle English tyde, from Old English tīd, from Proto-West Germanic tīdi, from Proto-Germanic tīdiz, from Proto-Indo-European déh₂itis, from deh₂y- + *-tis. Related to time.
From Middle English tiden, tide, from Old English tīdan (“to happen”).
Commonly used in the phrases 'high tide' and 'low tide'.