tight English · revision 4468

+ {{infobox|confidence=probable|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 1435|origins=non þéttr}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /taɪt/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is Middle English tyght, an alteration of thight,^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024)^(Hoad 1986) [[bor|non|þéttr|t=watertight, close in texture, solid]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) and partly from Old English -þiht, as in meteþiht “stout from eating”,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) both from [[gem-pro|*þinhtaz]],^(Etymonline) also the source of German dicht “dense, tight”.^(Etymonline)^(NODE 1998) Watkins traces it to [[ine-pro|*tenk-|t=to become firm, thicken]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) the source of Irish techt “curdled” and Lithuanian tankus “thick”.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) Barnhart notes that tight and thight developed the sense “watertight” independently and were used separately into the 1800s, so tight is not simply a variant of thight.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Thick-set, heavy: about 1300 in Etymonline;^(Etymonline) dense, close: probably before 1400 in Barnhart,^(Barnhart 1988) about 1435 in the OED, of a wood or thicket.^(OED 1989) Of a person, healthy or vigorous, a sense now dialectal.^(SOED 2002)^(Cresswell 2021)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Not letting water or air in or out is from 1507, as in ''watertight'',^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989) fixed firmly in place from 1513,^(Barnhart 1988) drawn or stretched from the 1570s,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) and fitting closely from 1779.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) Evenly matched, of a contest, is from 1828, American English.^(Etymonline) The informal senses stingy (1805) and drunk (1830) came in the 19th century,^(Etymonline)^(Cresswell 2021) and “close, intimate” in 1956.^(Etymonline) A ''tight ship'' was first one with its ropes firmly fastened, then one under firm discipline, hence ''run a tight ship''.^(Cresswell 2021) The adverb is from 1680,^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) ''sit tight'' from 1738,^(Etymonline) ''tighten'' from 1727,^(Barnhart 1988) ''tights'' from 1827,^(Barnhart 1988) and ''tightwad'' from 1906, American English.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1300 – thick-set.^(Etymonline)

+ * c. 1435 – dense.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1507 – watertight.^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1513 – firmly fixed.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1570s – stretched.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1680 – adverb.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)

+ * 1779 – close-fitting.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1805 – stingy.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1830 – drunk.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1844 – ''tight-fisted''.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1906 – ''tightwad''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Fixed or [[fasten]]ed firmly in place.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # Stretched fully; [[taut]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # Closely made so that water or air cannot pass: ''airtight''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # Fitting closely, sometimes too closely.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # Strict or firm: ''tight control''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # With little room or time to spare; scarce: ''a tight schedule'', ''money is tight''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # Closely [[contest]]ed.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # ''(informal)'' [[stingy]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # ''(informal)'' Drunk.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ===Adverb===

+ # Firmly, securely or soundly: ''hold tight'', ''sleep tight''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[tightly]]

+ * [[tightness]]

+ * [[overtight]]

+ * [[sticktight]]

+ * [[windtight]]

+ * [[airtight]]

+ * [[hug-me-tight]]

+ * [[tight-assed]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[tights]]

+ * [[tighten]]

+ * [[thight]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Tight is used as an adverb after verbs of closing or tightening, such as squeeze, shut and hold, and describes the resulting state; tightly describes the manner of the action and can come before the verb.^(AHD)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}