tightenings
|tight-en-ings|
/ˈtaɪtənɪŋz/
(tightening)
make more tight / make stricter
Etymology
'tighten' originates from the adjective 'tight' plus the verb-forming suffix '-en' in English; the formation creating verbs from adjectives is first attested in Middle English.
'tight' (the adjective) developed in earlier English, and the combination 'tight' + '-en' produced 'tighten' in Middle English; the noun 'tightening' later formed by adding the deverbal suffix '-ing'.
Initially it meant 'to make tight' in a physical sense; over time it broadened to include figurative senses such as 'to make more strict' or 'to reduce (credit, spending)'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
plural of 'tightening': acts or instances of making something physically tighter (multiple occasions or measures of tightening).
Frequent tightenings of the machine's bolts were required to keep it safe.
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Noun 2
policy or measures that reduce the availability of money or credit (monetary tightenings).
The central bank's recent tightenings pushed up interest rates across the economy.
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Noun 3
increases in strictness or security — e.g., tightenings of rules, controls, or security measures.
Border tightenings after the incident slowed cross-border traffic.
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Last updated: 2026/01/02 19:14