different between tight vs alert

English

Etymology

From Middle English tight, tyght, ty?t, tiht, variants of thight, thiht, from Old English *þ?ht, *þiht (attested in meteþiht) and Old Norse þéttr, both from Proto-Germanic *þinhtaz, from Proto-Indo-European *tenkt- (“dense, thick, tight”), from Proto-Indo-European *ten- (“to stretch, pull”). Cognate with Scots ticht, West Frisian ticht, Danish tæt, Icelandic þéttur (“dense”), Norwegian tett, Swedish tät, Dutch dicht (“dense”), German dicht (“dense”).

Pronunciation

• enPR: t?t, IPA^(key): /ta?t/
• Rhymes: -a?t

Adjective

tight (comparative tighter, superlative tightest)

1. Firmly held together; compact; not loose or open.
   1. Unyielding or firm.

   2. Under high tension; taut.
   3. (colloquial) Scarce, hard to come by.

   4. (colloquial, figuratively) Intimately friendly.

   5. (slang, figuratively, usually derogatory) Miserly or frugal.

2. (of a space, design or arrangement) Narrow, such that it is difficult for something or someone to pass through it.
   2. Fitting close, or too close, to the body.

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

   4. Lacking holes; difficult to penetrate; waterproof.
      • 1965, MotorBoating, page 145

        He reported the hull was tight and secure and did not leak a drop.

      • 2014, Ian Black, "Courts kept busy as Jordan works to crush support for Isis", The Guardian, 27 November:

        Security is tight inside and outside the building, guarded by a bewildering collection of soldiers, policemen and gendarmes. Relatives watch as prisoners in handcuffs and leg irons shuffle past.

3. Well-rehearsed and accurate in execution.
   1. (sports) Not conceding many goals.
      • 2014, Paul Doyle, "Southampton hammer eight past hapless Sunderland in barmy encounter", The Guardian, 18 October 2014:

        The odd thing was that Sunderland made the better start and showed early signs that they might pose serious problems to the Premier League’s tightest defence.

4. (slang) Intoxicated; drunk or acting like being drunk.
   • 1940, Effie Butler, Misbehaving Husbands:

     I'm going to celebrate my divorce! And then I'm going to get tight.

   • 2001, Gaelic Storm, Johnny Tarr (on the album Tree):

     Johnny walked into the Castle Bar, looking to get tight.

5. (slang) Extraordinarily great or special.

6. (slang, British (regional)) Mean; unfair; unkind.
   • 1977, Willy Russell, Our Day Out, Act One, Scene One:

     Reilly: Ey, Miss, hang on, hang on... can we come with y', Miss? Can we?

     Digga: Go on, Miss, don't be tight, let's come.

   • 2001, Kevin Sampson, Outlaws, p.244:

     "Ah leave him, ay!" goes one of the girls. "Don't be tight." I turns to her. "Don't you think it's tight terrorising old ladies? Ay?"

   • 2011, Andrew Hicks, "Thai Girl: A story of the one who said 'no'", unnumbered page:

     "That's right ... so even when life's a grind, the Thais keep smiling. They think the farang are a miserable lot who have to get drunk to enjoy themselves."

     "Dutch, that's tight mate, I mean what's wrong with getting pissed. When you're not working, you gotta have a good time," said Darren.

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

   • clad very plain, but clean and tight

   • 1714, John Gay, The What D'ye Call It

     I'll spin and card, and keep our children tight.

   • 1887, W. S. Gilbert, Ruddigore

     Richard: But here she comes! [...] (Enter Rose — he is much struck by her.) By the Port Admiral, but she's a tight little craft!

   • “A tight little craft,” was Austin’s invariable comment on the matron; and she looked it, always trim and trig and smooth of surface like a converted yacht cleared for action. ¶ Near her wandered her husband […] from time to time squinting sideways, as usual, in the ever-renewed expectation that he might catch a glimpse of his stiff, retroussé moustache.

8. (obsolete) Handy; adroit; brisk.
9. (poker) Of a player, who plays very few hands. (Can we add an example for this sense?)
10. (poker) Using a strategy which involves playing very few hands. (Can we add an example for this sense?)

Synonyms

• (firmly held together): close, serried (of ranks); see also Thesaurus:tight
• (pushed/pulled together): crowded, dense; see also Thesaurus:compact
• (under high tension): taut, tense, under tension; see also Thesaurus:taut
• (miserly or frugal): niggardly, parsimonious; see also Thesaurus:stingy
• (narrow): narrow; see also Thesaurus:narrow
• (fitting close to the body): figure-hugging, snug, tight-fitting; see also Thesaurus:close-fitting
• (well-rehearsed and accurate): polished, precise; see also Thesaurus:meticulous
• (intimately friendly): close, close-knit, intimate
• (slang: intoxicated): blotto, plastered; see also Thesaurus:drunk
• (slang: extraordinarily great or special): ace, cool, fab, rad, slick; see also Thesaurus:excellent
• (slang: mean; unfair; unkind): see also Thesaurus:mean
• (not ragged): ruly, shipshape, trim; see also Thesaurus:orderly
• (handy; adroit; brisk): crafty, dexterous, skilful; see also Thesaurus:skilled

Antonyms

• (firmly held together): baggy (of clothing or other material), loose, sagging, saggy, slack; see also Thesaurus:loose
• (pushed/pulled together):
• (under high tension): loose, relaxed, slack; see also Thesaurus:careless
• (miserly or frugal): generous, prodigal, scattergood; see also Thesaurus:generous or Thesaurus:prodigal
• (narrow): broad, capacious, open, roomy, spacious, wide; see also Thesaurus:wide
• (well-rehearsed and accurate): slack, slapdash, sloppy
• (slang: intoxicated): clearheaded, on the wagon; see also Thesaurus:sober
• (slang: extraordinarily great or special): crap, naff, pathetic, rubbish; see also Thesaurus:bad
• (slang: mean; unfair; unkind): nice, pleasant; see also Thesaurus:kindly
• (not ragged): unruly, messy; see also Thesaurus:disorderly
• (handy; adroit; brisk): bungling, maladroit, unskilful; see also Thesaurus:unskilled

Derived terms

Translations

Adverb

tight (comparative tighter, superlative tightest)

1. Firmly, so as not to come loose easily.

   Make sure the lid is closed tight.
2. Soundly.

   Good night, sleep tight.

Synonyms

• (firmly): fast, firmly, securely
• (soundly): soundly, well

Antonyms

• (firmly): loosely
• (soundly): badly, fitfully

Derived terms

Translations

Verb

tight (third-person singular simple present tights, present participle tighting, simple past and past participle tighted)

1. (obsolete) To tighten.

Danish

Etymology

From English tight. Doublet of tæt.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /tajt/, [?t??jd?]

Adjective

tight (plural and definite singular attributive tighte)

1. tight (of cloths, finances, schedules)

   Synonym: stram

2. (music) tight (keeping time and with musical understanding)

References

• “tight” in Den Danske Ordbog

Italian

Etymology

Borrowed from English tight.

Noun

tight m (invariable)

1. morning suit, morning dress

English

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /??l??t/
• (General American) enPR: ?-lûrt?, IPA^(key): /??l?t/
• Rhymes: -??(?)t
• Hyphenation: a?lert

Etymology 1

From French alerte (“alert”), from the phrase à l'erte (“on the watch”), from Italian all'erta (“to the height”), from erta (“lookout, tower”).

Adjective

alert (comparative more alert, superlative most alert)

2. Attentive; awake; on guard.
3. (obsolete) brisk; nimble; moving with celerity.

   • I saw an alert young fellow that cocked his hat upon a friend of his who entered just at the same time with myself

Translations

Noun

alert (plural alerts)

1. An alarm.
2. A notification of higher importance than an advisory.
3. (military) A state of readiness for potential combat.

   an airborne alert; ground alert

Translations

Etymology 2

Formed within English by conversion, from alert (adj). Compare French alerter.

Verb

alert (third-person singular simple present alerts, present participle alerting, simple past and past participle alerted)

1. To give warning to.

Translations

References

Anagrams

• alter, alter-, altre, artel, later, ratel, taler, telar

Dutch

Etymology

Borrowed from French alerte.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /a??l?rt/
• Hyphenation: alert
• Rhymes: -?rt

Adjective

alert (comparative alerter, superlative alertst)

1. alert

Inflection

Derived terms

• alertheid

Anagrams

• later, ratel

German

Etymology

From French alerte.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [a?l??t]

Adjective

alert (comparative alerter, superlative am alertesten)

1. alert

Declension

Further reading

• “alert” in Duden online

Romanian

Etymology

From French alerte

Adjective

alert m or n (feminine singular alert?, masculine plural aler?i, feminine and neuter plural alerte)

1. wide-awake

Declension

Swedish

Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /a?læ?/
• Rhymes: -æ??

Adjective

alert (comparative alertare, superlative alertast)

1. alert

Declension

Anagrams

• artel, later, letar, realt