Words / B2

TYTN/ˈtaɪtn/

To tighten is to make something tighter, stricter, or more secure: tighten a screw; tighten the rules. Tight is the adjective (already in the dictionary); taut is stretched tight. The regulator tightened the rules after the leak. Mix-up: titan; lighten is to make less heavy. Do not write tighten for “improve” with no stricter limit.

Meaning

To make something tighter, stricter, or more secure.

Examples

• “The regulator tightened the rules after the leak, the notice said.”
• “Tighten the clamp before you heat the flask, which is the physical sense.”

Good to know

tighten the rules / security / a screw; tighten up. Adjective: tight. Opposite: loosen. Trap: lighten. News, H&S, and practicals. Make stricter or physically tighter, not a vague “boost”.

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