tighten

tighten
verb
ADVERB
a little, slightly, etc.
considerably
gradually, slowly
suddenly
instinctively, involuntarily, unconsciously

Her fingers tightened unconsciously with every jolt she received.

painfully
up

Can you tighten up the bolts for me?

VERB + TIGHTEN
seem to
feel sth

He felt his stomach tighten.

make sth

His words made her throat tighten.

PREPOSITION
about (BrE), around, round (esp. BrE)

His hand tightened painfully around her wrist.

on

Her grip seemed to tighten on the door handle.

in

He saw his father's jaw tighten in irritation.

into

His mouth tightened into a thin hard line.

with

Her face tightened with pain.

Tighten is used with these nouns as the subject: ↑arm, ↑chest, ↑face, ↑fist, ↑grip, ↑hand, ↑jaw, ↑lip, ↑mouth, ↑muscle, ↑noose, ↑shoulder, ↑stomach, ↑throat
Tighten is used with these nouns as the object: ↑ban, ↑belt, ↑blockade, ↑bolt, ↑censorship, ↑control, ↑embargo, ↑embrace, ↑fist, ↑grasp, ↑grip, ↑hold, ↑jaw, ↑knot, ↑loophole, ↑muscle, ↑noose, ↑nut, ↑regulation, ↑rein, ↑restriction, ↑rope, ↑screw, ↑security, ↑strap, ↑string, ↑supervision

Collocations dictionary. 2013.

Игры ⚽ Поможем решить контрольную работу
Synonyms:

Look at other dictionaries:

  • tighten — UK [ˈtaɪt(ə)n] / US or tighten up UK / US verb Word forms tighten : present tense I/you/we/they tighten he/she/it tightens present participle tightening past tense tightened past participle tightened Word forms tighten up : present tense… …   English dictionary

  • Tighten Up — may refer to: Tighten Up (Archie Bell the Drells album) Tighten Up (Archie Bell the Drells song) Tighten Up (Electronic song) Tighten Up (The Black Keys song) Tighten Up, a 1960s series of reggae compilation albums issued by Trojan Records See… …   Wikipedia

  • tighten — UK US /ˈtaɪtən/ verb [I or T] ► (also tighten up) GOVERNMENT, LAW to make a rule, system, or law stronger and more difficult to ignore: tighten controls/rules/regulation »There were renewed calls to tighten controls on imported products. ►… …   Financial and business terms

  • Tighten — Tight en, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Tightened}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Tightening}.] To draw tighter; to straiten; to make more close in any manner. [1913 Webster] Just where I please, with tightened rein I ll urge thee round the dusty plain. Fawkes. [1913… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • tighten — index adhere (fasten), constrict (compress) Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • tighten — (v.) to make tight, 1727; the earlier verb was simply tight, from O.E. tyhtan, from the root of TIGHT (Cf. tight). Related: Tightened; tightening …   Etymology dictionary

  • tighten — [v] constrict bind, clench, close, compress, condense, congeal, contract, cramp, crush, fasten, fix, grip, harden, narrow, pinch, pressure, rigidify, screw, secure, squeeze, stiffen, strain, strangle, stretch, tauten, tense, toughen; concepts 250 …   New thesaurus

  • tighten — [tīt′ n] vt., vi. to make or become tight or tighter tightener n …   English World dictionary

  • tighten — [[t]ta͟ɪt(ə)n[/t]] tightens, tightening, tightened 1) V ERG If you tighten your grip on something, or if your grip tightens, you hold the thing more firmly or securely. [V n] Luke answered by tightening his grip on her shoulder... [V prep] Her… …   English dictionary

  • tighten — tight|en [ˈtaıtn] v also tighten up 1.) [T] to close or fasten something firmly by turning it ≠ ↑loosen ▪ Tighten the screws firmly. ▪ I d put the new tyre on, but I hadn t tightened up the wheel. 2.) [I and T] if you tighten a rope, wire etc, or …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • tighten — tight|en [ taıtn ] verb ** 1. ) transitive to turn something such as a screw or cover until it is tight and you cannot turn it any more 2. ) transitive to pull something such as a rope or belt until it is straighter or fits more tightly around… …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”