tighten

Everyday

1. To make something tighter or firmer: "Tighten the screw", "Tighten your shoelaces." tree →
2. To become tighter: "His grip tightened." tree →
3. To make rules stricter: "The school tightened the rules." tree →

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 →
• Dad tightened the wheel nuts on the car. tree →
• Tighten the lid so the jar does not leak. tree →
• The rope tightened as the boat pulled. tree →
• The rules were tightened after the accident. tree →
• Turn the screw clockwise to tighten it. tree →
• Rudy tightened it, and thus secured the bird alive. tree →

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.