1[transitiveT]TIGHT to close or fasten something firmly by turning it 使变紧OPP loosen
Tighten the screws firmly.
把螺丝拧紧。
I’d put the new tyre on, but I hadn’t tightened up the wheel.
我把新轮胎装上了,但没有上紧轮子。
2[intransitiveI, transitiveT]TIGHT if you tighten a rope, wire etc, or if it tightens, it is stretched or pulled so that it becomes tight 绷紧,拉紧
When you tighten guitar strings, the note gets higher.
把吉他的弦紧一紧,音就会变高。
The rope tightened around his body.
他身上的绳子绷紧了。
3HBHHURT/CAUSE PAIN[intransitiveI, transitiveT] to become stiff or make a part of your body become stiff (使)〔身体的某一部分〕变得僵硬,变得僵直OPP relax
His mouth tightened into a thin, angry line.
他的嘴抿成了一条细线,一副生气的样子。
Tighten up the muscles of both arms.
绷紧两臂肌肉。
4tighten your grip/hold on something
a)to control a place or situation more strictly 加强对某事物的控制
Rebel forces have tightened their hold on the capital.
叛军加强了对首都的控制。
b)to hold someone or something more firmly 更紧地抓住〔某人或某物〕
Sarah tightened her grip on my arm.
萨拉把我的手臂抓得更紧了。
Examples from the Corpus
tighten your grip/hold on something• The suspendeddespair inside her splintered into a shudderingsob and Fernando tightened his hold on her.• However, planning permission is required, and legislation is tightening its grip onmastsites.• Oatstightened his grip on the axe.• There were months of interrogations, torture and repression as the militarytightened its grip on the country.• It was only when they tensed, curling and tightening their grip on the floor, did he realise they were alive.• They tightened their grip on the girl.• His arm shook and he tightened his grip on the stock of the rifle to still it.• He tightened his grip on the sub-machine-gun, waited for the helicopter to slow and swing towards him.
5[transitiveT]STRICT to make a rule, law, or system more strict 加紧,加强〔规则、法律或制度〕OPP relax
Efforts to tighten the rules have failed.
严格规章制度的努力失败了。
tighten up on something
a range of measures to tighten up on illegal share dealing
一系列严格控制非法股票交易的措施
6tighten your beltinformalSPEND MONEY to try to spend less money than you used to 勒紧裤带,设法更节俭地过日子
Businesses were tightening their belts and cutting jobs.
企业都在勒紧裤带,削减工作岗位。
Examples from the Corpus
tighten your belt• The harsh years of the Depression were causing everyone to tighten their belts.• Most people have to tighten their belts a little when they retire.• Colleges have tightened their belts and are giving fewer scholarships than before.• Others will tighten their belts, downscale their programs, sell more t-shirts and look for local sources of revenue.• Governments and companies are forced to tighten their belts during a recession.• Let them tighten their belts like we have to.
7tighten the screws (on somebody)informal to try to force someone to do something, by threatening them or making things difficult for them – used in newsreports 胁迫,威逼(某人);(对某人)采取更为严厉的措施〔用于新闻报道〕
Closing the border would tighten the screws on the terrorists.
封锁边境将使恐怖分子受到更为严厉的打击。
8[intransitiveI]American EnglishAmE if a race or competition tightens, the distance between the competitors becomes smaller 〔比赛〕变得激烈[紧张]
He expects the presidential race to tighten.
他预计总统角逐还会更激烈。
9tighten upphrasal verbphr vif a team or group tightens up, they start working together more effectively 加紧,加强
tighten something ↔ up
We have tightened up the defence and are winning matches as a result.
tighten• I think the fanbelt needs to be tightened.• The rope tightened and Steve was pulled off balance.• The bill would tightenexisting gun-control regulations.• Judy's lipstightened in a thinsmile.• As though to tighten it a hand came to rest on hers.• As the investigation continued into June, Dunlap could feel the visetighten, squeezing out any possibility of hope.• They believe moves to tighten the gun laws even further could result in even more firearmsflooding the black market.• She bent down and tightened the muzzle on the dog.• He changed the spanner for one the correctsize and tightened the nut.• I need to tighten the screw on my glasses.• Tighten the screws gradually until the wheel is firmly in place.• The estateownerstightened their systems, with a view to greater productivity - new breeds, crops, implements and methods.• I felt my stomachtighten, unreason bubbling, rising.• Tighten up the lid on that juice before you put it away.• But Hillhurt a hamstring on the return, and had to leave the game after his legtightened up.• The cross-fence would be finished sometime today, once we got all the wires pulled out and tightened up.• Tighten your stomach muscles and hold for three seconds.