tighten
verbVerb Forms
Idioms Phrasal Verbs| present simple I / you / we / they tighten | |
| he / she / it tightens | |
| past simple tightened | |
| past participle tightened | |
| -ing form tightening |
- [transitive, intransitive]
to hold or fix something more securely in position; to make something or become more difficult to move, open or separate 使更加嚴格；加強 - tighten something
to tighten a lid/screw/rope/knot 擰緊蓋子／螺釘；繃緊繩子；打緊結 She tightened her grip on his arm. 她抓他的手臂抓得更緊了。 The nuts weren't properly tightened and the wheel came off. 螺母沒擰緊，輪子脫落了。 - tighten something up
The brake cable needs tightening up. 刹車線需要調緊。 - (+ adv./prep.)
Her grip seemed to tighten on the door handle. 她似乎把門把手抓得更緊了。 He saw his father's jaw tighten in irritation. 他看到父親氣得緊咬牙關。
Extra ExamplesThis tool is for tightening screws. 這個工具是用來擰緊螺絲的。 Her fingers tightened convulsively with every jolt she received. 每多一下震動，她的手指就痙攣似地攥得更緊。 His hand tightened painfully around her wrist. 他的手緊緊握住她的手腕，弄得她生疼。
- tighten something
- [transitive] tighten something
to make something become stricter 使更加嚴格；加強 to tighten security 加強安全措施 The government is to tighten controls on the sale of alcohol. 政府將加強對酒精銷售的控制。 Steps were taken to tighten discipline in the school. 已采取措施加強學校的紀律。
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- a little
- slightly
- etc.
- …
- seem to
- feel something
- make something
- …
- about
- around
- round
- …
- [intransitive, transitive]
to become stretched so that it cannot stretch much further; to stretch or pull something in this way 使更加嚴格；加強 - [intransitive]
(of part of the body 人體部位 to become painful or uncomfortable because of illness or emotion （使）變緊，更加牢固 He felt his stomach tighten. 他感到肚子發緊。 Her face tightened with pain. 她痛得緊繃着臉。 His words made her throat tighten. 他的話使她喉嚨發緊。
opposite loosen
Idioms
tighten your belt
to spend less money because there is less available 勒緊腰帶（省吃儉用） With price increases on most goods, everyone is having to tighten their belt. 随着大多數商品的價格上漲，每個人都不得不勒緊腰帶。 There is a need for further belt-tightening. 有必要進一步緊縮開支。
Synonyms savesave- budget
- economize
- tighten your belt
- save to keep money instead of spending it, often in order to buy a particular thing:
I’m saving for a new car. 我正攢錢想買輛新車。
- budget to be careful about the amount of money you spend; to plan to spend an amount of money for a particular purpose:
If we budget carefully we’ll be able to afford the trip. 我們精打細算一點，就能夠負擔這次旅行。
- economize
to use less money, time, etc. than you normally use 指節省、節約、節儉 - tighten your belt (rather informal
) to spend less money because there is less available: 指勒緊腰帶省吃儉用： With the price increases, we are all having to tighten our belts. 由於物價上漲，我們都只好勒緊褲腰帶了。
- to save up/budget for something
- to have to save/budget/economize/tighten our belts
- to try to/manage to save/budget/economize