taut

See also taut-

English

Etymology

From Middle English, past participle of tow

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -ɒt
• IPA: /tɔːt/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Audio (UK)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɔːt

Adjective

taut (comparative tauter, superlative tautest)

1. Tight; under tension, as in a rope or bow string.
   • 1883: Robert Louis Stevenson, Treasure Island

     The hawser was as taut as a bowstring - so strong she pulled upon her anchor.

2. Experiencing stress or anxiety.
   • 1989 Faye Kellerman, The Quality of Mercy

     His outward appearance was calm, but inside he was very taut.

3. Containing only relevant parts, brief and controlled.
   • 2007 Milton C. Sernett, Harriet Tubman: Myth, Memory and History

     Quick action and dialogue create a taut story, although it is illustration that shapes the characters.

Translations

tight; under tension, as in a rope or bow string

Armenian: ձիգ (hy) (jig) Czech: napjatý (cs) Finnish: kireä (fi), jännitetty (fi), tiukka (fi) French: tendu (fr), contracté (fr) Hungarian: feszes (hu) Japanese: 張っている (ja) (はっている, hatte iru)

Norwegian: spent (no) n. Polish: naprężony (pl) m., napięty (pl) m. Russian: натянутый (ru), напряжённый (ru) Scottish Gaelic: teann (gd) Serbo-Croatian: napet (sh), napregnut (sh) Swedish: spänd (sv), sträckt (sv)

showing stress or anxiety

Czech: napjatý (cs) French: tendu (fr), stressé (fr), anxieux (fr) German: angespannt (de) Hungarian: feszült (hu)

Japanese: 緊張している (ja) (きんちょうしている, kinchō shite iru) Norwegian: anspent (no) n., anstrengt (no) n. Serbo-Croatian: napet (sh)

containing only relevant parts, brief and controlled

Czech: napínavý (cs)

Norwegian: fortettet (no) n.

Derived terms

• tauten
• tautly
• tautness

Synonyms

tense

---

German

Verb

taut

1. Third-person singular present of tauen.
2. Second-person plural present of tauen.
3. Imperative plural of tauen.