tighten
v.-
1 to make firm or secure (v.) B1 Intermediateto make something more firm, closed, or secure so it does not move.
to make something more secure or less loose by applying force or tension.
ExampleYou should tighten the screws on the chair so it stops shaking.
ExampleThe mechanic had to tighten the bolts on the engine block to prevent oil from leaking during high-speed operation.
UsageOften used with 'up' as a phrasal verb for emphasis.
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2 to become more tense (v.) B2 Upper Intermediateto become stiff or tense, often because you are nervous or angry.
to become tense or rigid, particularly in reference to muscles or emotional states.
ExampleHis jaw started to tighten as he listened to the bad news.
ExampleHer grip on the steering wheel began to tighten as the fog grew thicker and the road became more dangerous.
- stiffen
- tense
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3 to make rules stricter (v.) B2 Upper Intermediateto make laws, rules, or security more strict.
to make a law, rule, or system of control more restrictive or effective.
ExampleThe airport decided to tighten security after the recent incidents.
ExampleThe government plans to tighten the regulations on carbon emissions to meet its environmental targets by the end of the decade.
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4 to restrict money or credit (v.) C1 Advanced Academic Formal Economicsto make it harder for people or businesses to borrow money.
to reduce the availability of money or credit in an economy, often by raising interest rates.
ExampleThe central bank may tighten its policy to stop prices from rising too fast.
ExampleEconomists predict the Federal Reserve will tighten monetary policy in response to the unexpected surge in inflationary pressure.
UsageCommonly appears in the phrase 'tighten monetary policy'.
Synchronically equivalent to tight + -en, but actually derived from Middle English tighten, from Old English tyhtan, thus originally unrelated to tight (Old English *þiht).