tighten

English

Etymology

Old English tyhtan.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA: /ˈtaɪ.tən/, X-SAMPA: /"taI.t@n/
• Rhymes: -aɪtən

Verb

tighten (third-person singular simple present tightens, present participle tightening, simple past and past participle tightened)

1. (transitive) To make tighter.

   Please tighten that screw a quarter-turn.

2. (intransitive) To become tighter.

   That joint is tightening as the wood dries.

3. (economics) To make money harder to borrow or obtain.

   If the government doesn't tighten the money supply, inflation is certain to be harsh.

4. (economics) To raise short-term interest rates.

   The Fed is expected to tighten by a quarter-point.

Antonyms

• (make tighter): loosen

Derived terms

• retighten
• tighten one's belt
• tighten the purse strings
• tightener

Related terms

• tight

Translations

to make tighter

• Czech: dotáhnout (cs), utáhnout (cs)
• Finnish: kiristää (fi)
• French: serrer (fr)

• Irish: dlúthaigh (ga)
• Italian: stringere (it)
• Neapolitan: strenge
• Spanish: tensar (es)

to become tighter

• Finnish: kiristyä (fi)
• French: se resserrer (fr)

• Irish: dlúthaigh (ga)
• Spanish: tensarse

to make money harder to obtain

• Finnish: kiristää (fi)

• Spanish: endurecer la política monetaria

to raise interest rate

• Finnish: nostaa korkoa, korottaa (fi)

• French: resserrer (fr) les taux (fr) m