[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/tighten/)

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# tighten

verb (tighten, tightens, tightened, tightening)

«tighten» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. To make something tighter or firmer: "Tighten the screw", "Tighten your shoelaces." [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tighten/#m1)
2. To become tighter: "His grip tightened." [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tighten/#m2)
3. To make rules stricter: "The school tightened the rules." [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tighten/#m3)

### In the lessons

In everyday life and safety, people tighten seat belts, helmet straps, bike bolts and screws. In design and technology, pupils tighten nuts with a spanner. Phrases: tighten up, tighten your belt (spend less money), tighten your grip.

### Examples

- Tighten your helmet strap before riding. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tighten/#x1)
- Dad tightened the wheel nuts on the car. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tighten/#x2)
- Tighten the lid so the jar does not leak. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tighten/#x3)
- The rope tightened as the boat pulled. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tighten/#x4)
- The rules were tightened after the accident. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tighten/#x5)
- Turn the screw clockwise to tighten it. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tighten/#x6)
- Rudy tightened it, and thus secured the bird alive. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tighten/#x7)

### Note

Regular verb: tighten, tightened. Opposite: "loosen". A rhyme to remember: "righty tighty, lefty loosey" (turning right, clockwise, usually tightens a screw). "Tighten your belt" means spend less money.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «tighten» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tighten/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«tighten» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/tighten.html) on Mova free.