tighten

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Pronunciation

• (British) IPA: /ˈtaɪ.tən/

Verb

tighten (tightens, present participle tightening; past and past participle tightened)

1. (transitive) To make tighter.

   Please tighten that screw a quarter-turn.

   • Just where I please, with tightened rein / I'll urge thee round the dusty plain.

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

Related terms

• tight

Translations

• French: serrer
• German: anziehen (of a screw), straffen (of a rope, belt etc.)
• Italian: stringere
• Portuguese: apertar
• Russian: натя́гивать
• Spanish: apretar, tensar

Translations

• French: se resserrer
• Russian: натя́гиваться
• Spanish: tensarse

Translations

• French: resserrer les taux

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