tight Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. adjective closely constrained or constricted or constricting
    • tight skirts
    • he hated tight starched collars
    • fingers closed in a tight fist
    • a tight feeling in his chest
  2. adjective satellite pulled or drawn tight
    taut.
    • taut sails
    • a tight drumhead
    • a tight rope
  3. adjective satellite set so close together as to be invulnerable to penetration
    • in tight formation
    • a tight blockade
  4. adjective satellite pressed tightly together
    compressed.
    • with lips compressed
  5. adjective satellite (used of persons or behavior) characterized by or indicative of lack of generosity
    miserly; mingy; mean.
    • a mean person
    • he left a miserly tip
  6. adjective satellite affected by scarcity and expensive to borrow
    • tight money
    • a tight market
  7. adjective of such close construction as to be impermeable
    • a tight roof
    • warm in our tight little house
  8. adjective satellite of textiles
    close.
    • a close weave
    • smooth percale with a very tight weave
  9. adjective satellite securely or solidly fixed in place; rigid
    • the bolts are tight
  10. adjective satellite (of a contest or contestants) evenly matched
    close.
    • a close contest
    • a close election
    • a tight game
  11. adjective satellite very drunk
    pixilated; sozzled; soaked; soused; sloshed; slopped; blotto; plastered; crocked; besotted; cockeyed; squiffy; wet; pie-eyed; fuddled; smashed; blind drunk; stiff; loaded; pissed.
  12. adjective satellite exasperatingly difficult to handle or circumvent
    nasty.
    • a nasty problem
    • a good man to have on your side in a tight situation
  13. adjective satellite demanding strict attention to rules and procedures
    rigorous; stringent.
    • rigorous discipline
    • tight security
    • stringent safety measures
  14. adjective satellite packed closely together
    • they stood in a tight little group
    • hair in tight curls
    • the pub was packed tight
  15. adverb firmly or closely
    fast.
    • held fast to the rope
    • her foot was stuck fast
    • held tight
  16. adverb in an attentive manner
    close; closely.
    • he remained close on his guard

WordNet

Tight
Definitions
obs.
  1. p. p. of Tie. Spenser.
Tight adjective
Etymology
OE. tight, thiht; probably of Scand. origin; cf. Icel. ettr, Dan. tæt, Sw. tät: akin to D. & G. dicht thick, tight, and perhaps to E. thee to thrive, or to thick. Cf. Taut.
Wordforms
comparative Tighter ; superlative Tightest
Definitions
  1. Firmly held together; compact; not loose or open; as, tight cloth; a tight knot.
  2. Close, so as not to admit the passage of a liquid or other fluid; not leaky; as, a tight ship; a tight cask; a tight room; -- often used in this sense as the second member of a compound; as, water-tight; air-tight.
  3. Fitting close, or too close, to the body; as, a tight coat or other garment.
  4. Not ragged; whole; neat; tidy.
    Clad very plain, but clean and tight. Evelyn.
    I'll spin and card, and keep our children tight. Gay.
  5. Close; parsimonious; saving; as, a man tight in his dealings. Colloq.
  6. Not slack or loose; firmly stretched; taut; -- applied to a rope, chain, or the like, extended or stretched out.
  7. Handy; adroit; brisk. Obs. Shak.
  8. Somewhat intoxicated; tipsy. Slang
  9. (Com.) Pressing; stringent; not easy; firmly held; dear; -- said of money or the money market. Cf. Easy, 7.
Tight transitive verb
Definitions
  1. To tighten. Obs.

Webster 1913