Word Study
tighten
CIDE DICTIONARY
tighten, v. t.
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." [1913 Webster]
I'll urge thee round the dusty plain." [1913 Webster]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
tighten, v.tr. & intr. make or become tight or tighter.
Idiom
tighten one's belt see BELT.
THESAURUS
tighten
affix, anchor, annex, attach, back, belay, box, box in, box up, brace, cement, cinch, circumscribe, clamp, clinch, close, compress, confine, continue, cramp, crank, crank in, crush, drag out, draw, draw in, draw out, draw taut, elongate, engraft, ensphere, extend, fasten, fix, graft, grapple, hem, hem in, keep from spreading, keep within bounds, knit, lengthen, lengthen out, let out, limit, localize, make fast, moor, narrow, nip, pinch, press, produce, prolong, prolongate, protract, pull, pull in, put to, qualify, reel, reel in, reinforce, restrict, rigidify, screw up, secure, set, set to, shore up, spin out, squeeze, stiffen, stint, strain, strengthen, stretch, stretch out, string out, tackle, tauten, tense, trice up, trim, tweak, wad up, winch, wind in, windlassROGET THESAURUS
tighten
Junction
VB join, unite, conjoin, connect, associate, put together, lay together, clap together, hang together, lump together, hold together, piece together, tack together, fix together, bind up together together, embody, reembody, roll into one, attach, fix, affix, saddle on, fasten, bind, secure, clinch, twist, make fast, tie, pinion, string, strap, sew, lace, tat, stitch, tack, knit, button, buckle, hitch, lash, truss, bandage, braid, splice, swathe, gird, tether, moor, picket, harness, chain, fetter, lock, latch, belay, brace, hook, grapple, leash, couple, accouple, link, yoke, bracket, marry, bridge over, span, braze, pin, nail, bolt, hasp, clasp, clamp, crimp, screw, rivet, impact, solder, set, weld together, fuse together, wedge, rabbet, mortise, miter, jam, dovetail, enchase, graft, ingraft, inosculate, entwine, intwine, interlink, interlace, intertwine, intertwist, interweave, entangle, twine round, belay, tighten, trice up, screw up, be joined, hang together, hold together, cohere.Contraction
VB become small, become smaller, lessen, decrease, grow less, dwindle, shrink, contract, narrow, shrivel, collapse, wither, lose flesh, wizen, fall away, waste, wane, ebb, decay, be smaller than, fall short of, not come up to, render smaller, lessen, diminish, contract, draw in, narrow, coarctate, boil down, constrict, constringe, condense, compress, squeeze, corrugate, crimp, crunch, crush, crumple up, warp, purse up, pack, squeeze, stow, pinch, tighten, strangle, cramp, dwarf, bedwarf, shorten, circumscribe, restrain, (subtraction) 38 abrade, pare, reduce, attenuate, rub down, scrape, file, file down, grind, grind down, chip, shave, shear, wear down.For further exploring for "tighten" in Webster Dictionary Online