Small vs. Tight

Not large or big; insignificant; few in number.

Example: ‘A small serving of ice cream.’; ‘A small group.’; ‘He made us all feel small.’;

(figuratively) Young, as a child.

Example: ‘Remember when the children were small?’;

Minuscule or lowercase, referring to written letters.

Envincing little worth or ability; not large-minded; paltry; mean.

Not prolonged in duration; not extended in time; short.

Example: ‘a small space of time’;

In a small fashion.

In or into small pieces.

(obsolete) To a small extent.

(rare) Any part of something that is smaller or slimmer than the rest, now usually with anatomical reference to the back.

To make little or less.

(intransitive) To become small; to dwindle.

Having little size, compared with other things of the same kind; little in quantity or degree; diminutive; not large or extended in dimension; not great; not much; inconsiderable; as, a small man; a small river.

Example: ‘To compareGreat things with small.’;

Being of slight consequence; feeble in influence or importance; unimportant; trivial; insignificant; as, a small fault; a small business.

Envincing little worth or ability; not large-minded; - sometimes, in reproach, paltry; mean.

Example: ‘A true delineation of the smallest man is capable of interesting the greatest man.’;

Not prolonged in duration; not extended in time; short; as, after a small space.

Weak; slender; fine; gentle; soft; not loud.

In or to small extent, quantity, or degree; little; slightly.

Not loudly; faintly; timidly.

Example: ‘You may speak as small as you will.’;

The small or slender part of a thing; as, the small of the leg or of the back.

Smallclothes.

Same as Little go. See under Little, a.

To make little or less.

the slender part of the back

a garment size for a small person

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent;

Example: ‘a little dining room’; ‘a little house’; ‘a small car’; ‘a little (or small) group’; ‘a small voice’;

limited in size or scope;

Example: ‘a small business’; ‘a newspaper with a modest circulation’; ‘small-scale plans’; ‘a pocket-size country’;

low or inferior in station or quality;

Example: ‘a humble cottage’; ‘a lowly parish priest’; ‘a modest man of the people’; ‘small beginnings’;

not fully grown;

Example: ‘what a big little boy you are’; ‘small children’;

too small to be seen except under a microscope

not large but sufficient in size or amount;

Example: ‘a modest salary’; ‘modest inflation’; ‘helped in my own small way’;

(of a voice) faint;

Example: ‘a little voice’; ‘a still small voice’;

slight or limited; especially in degree or intensity or scope;

Example: ‘a series of death struggles with small time in between’;

made to seem smaller or less (especially in worth);

Example: ‘her comments made me feel small’;

lowercase;

Example: ‘little a’; ‘small a’; ‘e.e.cummings's poetry is written all in minuscule letters’;

have fine or very small constituent particles;

Example: ‘a small misty rain’;

on a small scale;

Example: ‘think small’;

Firmly held together; compact; not loose or open.

Example: ‘tight cloth; a tight knot’;

Unyielding or firm

Example: ‘tight control on a situation’;

Under high tension.

Example: ‘Make sure to pull the rope tight.’;

(colloquial) Scarce, hard to come by.

Example: ‘I grew up in a poor neighborhood; money was very tight, but we made do.’;

Intimately friendly.

Example: ‘We've grown tighter over the years.’;

Miserly or frugal.

Example: ‘He's a bit tight with his money.’;

(of a space, design or arrangement) Narrow, such that it is difficult for something or someone to pass through it.

Example: ‘The passageway was so tight we could barely get through.’; ‘They flew in a tight formation.’;

Fitting close, or too close, to the body.

Example: ‘a tight coat;’; ‘My socks are too tight.’;

Of a turn, sharp, so that the timeframe for making it is narrow and following it is difficult.

Example: ‘The mountain pass was made dangerous by its many tight corners.’;

Lacking holes; difficult to penetrate; waterproof.

Well-rehearsed and accurate in execution.

Example: ‘Their marching band is extremely tight.’;

(sport) Not conceding many goals.

(slang) Intoxicated; drunk or acting like being drunk.

Example: ‘We went drinking and got tight.’;

(slang) Extraordinarily great or special.

Example: ‘That is one tight bicycle!’;

Mean; unfair; unkind.

(obsolete) Not ragged; whole; neat; tidy.

(obsolete) Handy; adroit; brisk.

(poker) Of a player, who plays very few hands. en

(poker) Using a strategy which involves playing very few hands. en

Firmly, so as not to come loose easily.

Example: ‘Make sure the lid is closed tight.’;

Soundly.

Example: ‘Good night, sleep tight.’;

(obsolete) To tighten.

p. p. of Tie.

Firmly held together; compact; not loose or open; as, tight cloth; a tight knot.

Close, so as not to admit the passage of a liquid or other fluid; not leaky; as, a tight ship; a tight cask; a tight room; - often used in this sense as the second member of a compound; as, water-tight; air-tight.

Fitting close, or too close, to the body; as, a tight coat or other garment.

Not ragged; whole; neat; tidy.

Example: ‘Clad very plain, but clean and tight.’; ‘I'll spin and card, and keep our children tight.’;

Close; parsimonious; saving; as, a man tight in his dealings.

Not slack or loose; firmly stretched; taut; - applied to a rope, chain, or the like, extended or stretched out.

Handy; adroit; brisk.

Somewhat intoxicated; tipsy.

Pressing; stringent; not easy; firmly held; dear; - said of money or the money market. Cf. Easy, 7.

To tighten.

closely constrained or constricted or constricting;

Example: ‘tight skirts’; ‘he hated tight starched collars’; ‘fingers closed in a tight fist’; ‘a tight feeling in his chest’;

pulled or drawn tight;

Example: ‘taut sails’; ‘a tight drumhead’; ‘a tight rope’;

set so close together as to be invulnerable to penetration;

Example: ‘in tight formation’; ‘a tight blockade’;

pressed tightly together;

Example: ‘with lips compressed’;

used of persons or behavior; characterized by or indicative of lack of generosity;

Example: ‘a mean person’; ‘he left a miserly tip’;

affected by scarcity and expensive to borrow;

Example: ‘tight money’; ‘a tight market’;

of such close construction as to be impermeable;

Example: ‘a tight roof’; ‘warm in our tight little house’;

of textiles;

Example: ‘a close weave’; ‘smooth percale with a very tight weave’;

securely or solidly fixed in place; rigid;

Example: ‘the bolts are tight’;

(of a contest or contestants) evenly matched;

Example: ‘a close contest’; ‘a close election’; ‘a tight game’;

very drunk

exasperatingly difficult to handle or circumvent;

Example: ‘a nasty problem’; ‘a good man to have on your side in a tight situation’;

demanding strict attention to rules and procedures;

Example: ‘rigorous discipline’; ‘tight security’; ‘stringent safety measures’;

packed closely together;

Example: ‘the stood in a tight little group’; ‘hair in tight curls’; ‘the pub was packed tight’;

firmly or tightly;

Example: ‘held fast to the rope’; ‘her foot was stuck fast’; ‘held tight’;

in an attentive manner;

Example: ‘he remained close on his guard’;