straiten

• POS: Verb (transitive)
• HYPHEN: strait=en

CIDE DICTIONARY

straiten, v. t. 

•  To make strait; to make narrow; hence, to contract; to confine.  [1913 Webster]

  "Waters, when straitened, as at the falls of bridges, give a roaring noise."  [1913 Webster]

  "In narrow circuit, straitened by a foe."  [1913 Webster]
•  To make tense, or tight; to tighten.  [1913 Webster]

  "They straiten at each end the cord."  [1913 Webster]
•  To restrict; to distress or embarrass in respect of means or conditions of life; -- used chiefly in the past participle; -- as, a man straitened in his circumstances.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

straiten, v.
1 tr. restrict in range or scope.
2 tr. (as straitened adj.) of or marked by poverty.
3 tr. & intr. archaic make or become narrow.

THESAURUS

straiten

arrest, bottle up, bound, box in, box up, bridle, cabin, casket, check, cloister, closet, coffin, condition, confine, constrain, constrict, contain, contract, control, cool, cool off, copyright, cramp, crib, curb, curtail, decelerate, diminish, discipline, dompt, draw in, draw the line, encase, enjoin, entomb, go in, govern, guard, hedge about, hinder, hold, hold at bay, hold back, hold fast, hold in, hold in check, hold in leash, hold up, immure, inhibit, keep, keep back, keep from, keep in, keep in check, keep under control, lay under restraint, limit, moderate, narrow, patent, prohibit, pull, pull in, qualify, register, rein, rein in, restrain, restrict, retard, retrench, scant, set back, slow down, snape, snub, specialize, stint, taper, withhold