Word
tide
US/ˈtaɪd/
UK/tˈaɪd/
Definitions
01ocean movement
B1 · Intermediate Countable noun
n. the regular rise and fall of the sea level caused by the moon and sun.
n. the periodic rise and fall of the waters of the ocean and its inlets, produced by the attraction of the moon and sun.
“The children built a sandcastle, but the tide came in and washed it away.”
“The fishing boats remained anchored in the harbour, waiting for the tide to turn before they could safely navigate the shallow channel.”
Usage
Usually used with 'the'.
02a trend or direction
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun
n. the general direction in which something is moving or changing, like public opinion.
n. the tendency or direction of causes, influences, or events; a metaphorical current of opinion or history.
“The tide of public opinion is finally starting to change regarding climate laws.”
“Political analysts observed that the tide of popular support was shifting toward the opposition as the economic crisis deepened.”
03to help through a difficult time
B2 · Upper Intermediate
v. to help someone survive a difficult period, usually by providing money or food.
v. to support or sustain someone through a period of difficulty or scarcity; almost exclusively used in the phrasal verb 'tide over'.
“Could you lend me twenty dollars to tide me over until payday?”
“The emergency grant was intended to tide the small business over until the insurance claim could be fully processed.”
Usage
Usually appears as 'tide someone over'.
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “tide” in context.
Verb
01. stem the tide
“The government introduced new measures to stem the tide of illegal immigration.”
verb + noun
02. swim against the tide
“He has always been a rebel, happy to swim against the tide of popular opinion.”
verb + prep + noun
03. turn the tide
“The late goal really turned the tide in favor of the home team.”
verb + noun
Adjective
04. incoming tide
“The incoming tide quickly covered the sandcastles the children had built.”
adj + noun
05. rising tide
“There is a rising tide of discontent among the local workforce regarding the new pay cuts.”
adj + noun
Noun
06. tide of emotion
“A sudden tide of emotion swept over her as she watched the old film.”
noun + of + noun
07. tide turns
“We need to act quickly before the tide turns against us.”
noun + verb
Preposition
08. against the tide
“It is difficult to argue against the tide of public sentiment at this moment.”
prep + noun
Real-World Examples
“But they were too late to stop the tide of revolution.” “The high tide of new gas plants won’t arrive for another few years.” Etymology
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”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
Related words
Idioms
Domains
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- C1 · AdvancedOxford
- Updated
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