tight

tight — 形容詞

1. held, fastened, or packed so firmly that there is no movement, slack, or empty s

1.形容詞B1
釋義

緊的；牢固的

固定牢固、沒有鬆動或空隙的

held, fastened, or packed so firmly that there is no movement, slack, or empty space between the parts

例句

Wei pulled the rope tight before tying it to the wooden post.

Wei 把繩子拉緊，然後綁在木柱上。

pull + tight to show tautness after an action

The lid on the jar was so tight that Andrés could not open it.

罐子的蓋子太緊了，Andrés 打不開。

tight lid for secure fastening

同義詞
  • firm

    focuses on stability rather than the absence of slack

  • secure

    emphasises safety from coming loose, often used for fastenings

  • taut

    specifically describes rope, skin, or fabric stretched without slack

反義詞
  • loose

    the direct opposite in all sub-senses

  • slack

    specifically for rope, line, or fabric that is not pulled tight

用法筆記

Often paired with verbs like pull, tie, screw, and push to describe the result of making something firm or secure. Also used with objects like lid, knot, rope, and screw.

常見錯誤

❌The jeans are tight on my waist' (when meaning securely fastened).
✅The screw is tight in the hole.
💡for clothes, tight means uncomfortably close-fitting; for objects, it means firmly secured.

2. pressing against the wearer's body so firmly that it causes discomfort or makes

2.形容詞A2
釋義

緊身的

衣服鞋襪過緊而不舒適的

pressing against the wearer's body so firmly that it causes discomfort or makes moving hard

例句

Hassan could not bend down because his trousers were too tight.

Hassan 彎不下腰，因為他的褲子太緊了。

too + tight to describe uncomfortable clothing

Ada took off her tight shoes and rubbed her sore feet.

Ada 脫掉緊繃的鞋子，揉了揉疼痛的雙腳。

tight shoes as a common collocation

同義詞
  • close-fitting

    neutral or positive, does not imply discomfort

  • snug

    comfortably tight rather than painfully tight

反義詞
  • loose

    the opposite fit

  • baggy

    deliberately oversized, as a style choice

用法筆記

Commonly modified by too, a bit, or slightly. Can describe any item of clothing (shoes, jeans, shirt, collar, jacket).

常見錯誤

❌I need a tight dress' (when meaning a close-fitting stylish dress).
✅I need a fitted dress.
💡tight usually suggests discomfort; for stylish close fit, use fitted or close-fitting.

3. causing an uncomfortable sensation of pressure or squeezing inside part of the b

3.形容詞B1
釋義

胸悶；喉緊

身體內部因生病或情緒引起的壓迫感

causing an uncomfortable sensation of pressure or squeezing inside part of the body, often because of illness, fear, or anxiety

例句

Faisal felt a tight feeling in his chest after running up the stairs too fast.

Faisal 跑樓梯跑得太快，感覺胸口很緊。

tight feeling in the chest for pressure sensation

A bad cold had left Salma with a tight throat and a dry cough.

一場重感冒讓 Salma 喉嚨緊繃，還伴隨著乾咳。

tight throat as a symptom of illness

同義詞
  • constricted

    more formal, often used medically

  • compressed

    suggests physical pressure from outside, not internal

反義詞
  • relaxed

    free from tension or pressure

用法筆記

Describes an internal sensation only — not used for external pressure from a bandage, belt, or hug. Typically paired with chest, throat, stomach, or chest.

常見錯誤

❌My shoes feel tight on my chest.
✅My chest feels tight.
💡this sense does not take a location preposition; the body part is the subject.

4. feeling stiff, hard, and painful when moved, especially after physical activity

4.形容詞B1
釋義

僵硬的

肌肉緊繃僵硬、難以活動的

feeling stiff, hard, and painful when moved, especially after physical activity or from staying in one position too long

例句

After the long run, Lucas's leg muscles felt tight and sore.

長跑之後，Lucas 的腿部肌肉又緊又痠痛。

tight + muscle for post-exercise stiffness

Marta's shoulders were tight from working at her desk all day without a break.

Marta 整天坐在辦公桌前沒有休息，肩膀變得很僵硬。

tight from [cause] to link result with reason

同義詞
  • stiff

    broader — can describe joints, not just muscle tissue

  • tense

    often implies the muscle is contracted from stress rather than exercise

反義詞
  • relaxed

    the opposite state of muscle tissue

  • loose

    warmed up and flexible, often after stretching

用法筆記

Common with verbs like feel, get, become, and stretch. Frequently appears in fitness and healthcare contexts.

5. looking or sounding strained, anxious, or angry, rather than calm and relaxed

5.形容詞B2
釋義

繃緊的

表情或聲音因緊張、生氣而緊繃

looking or sounding strained, anxious, or angry, rather than calm and relaxed

例句

Andrés spoke in a tight voice when the manager asked about the missing report.

Andrés 在主管問起那份遺失的報告時，聲音聽起來很緊繃。

tight voice for strained tone of speech

Ada gave a tight smile and walked out of the room without saying goodbye.

Ada 勉強擠出一個笑容，然後一句話也沒說就走出了房間。

tight smile for forced facial expression

同義詞
  • strained

    very similar, but suggests effort to hide emotion

  • tense

    broader — can describe both appearance and atmosphere

  • forced

    specifically for smiles or laughter that are not genuine

反義詞
  • relaxed

    calm and natural in expression

  • warm

    friendly and open rather than guarded

用法筆記

Only used for visible or audible signs — the face, voice, smile, or expression. Not used for internal emotional states directly (e.g. "her mood was tight" is incorrect).

常見錯誤

❌He was feeling tight about the exam.
✅His voice sounded tight when he talked about the exam.
💡this sense modifies observable behaviour, not internal feelings.

6. allowing very little freedom or flexibility; severely limiting what people can d

6.形容詞B2
釋義

嚴格的

規定或管控嚴格、限制很多的

allowing very little freedom or flexibility; severely limiting what people can do or what is possible

例句

The school has tight rules about using mobile phones during lessons.

這所學校對於上課中使用手機有嚴格的規定。

tight rules for strict regulations

Faisal's company keeps tight control over who enters the main office building.

Faisal 的公司對誰可以進入主辦公大樓實施嚴格的管制。

tight control for close supervision

同義詞
  • strict

    very close in meaning, but tight emphasises lack of space for flexibility

  • stringent

    more formal, typically used for laws, rules, or standards

  • rigid

    suggests unwillingness to change, sometimes with negative connotation

反義詞
  • loose

    allowing more freedom or flexibility

  • relaxed

    less strict and more permissive

用法筆記

Common in political, organisational, and procedural contexts. Often appears in comparative form (tighter) to describe increased restrictions.

7. bending or turning very sharply rather than gradually, so that moving along it r

7.形容詞B1
釋義

急轉

道路或路徑彎曲角度很小的

bending or turning very sharply rather than gradually, so that moving along it requires careful control

例句

Darius slowed the car to twenty miles per hour before the tight curve.

Darius 在急彎前把車速降到每小時二十英里。

tight curve for a sharply bending road

A tight bend in the hiking trail forced everyone to walk in single file.

健行步道上一個很窄的急彎，逼得大家只能排成一路縱隊前進。

同義詞
  • sharp

    interchangeable for bends and turns, slightly more common

  • narrow

    describes width, not angle; often used together ('tight and narrow')

反義詞
  • wide

    a gradual, sweeping bend

  • gentle

    a curve that turns slowly and easily

用法筆記

Common with road, bend, curve, corner, turn. Often appears in driving contexts and descriptions of geographical features like rivers or paths. The subject is usually the path or route itself, not the vehicle.

常見錯誤

❌The driver made a tight turn' (to mean a skilful turn).
✅The road has a tight turn ahead.
💡tight describes the sharpness of the path, not the skill of the driver.

8. describes a race, competition, election, or game where the participants are so c

8.形容詞B2
釋義

膠著

比賽、競爭或選舉勢均力敵的

describes a race, competition, election, or game where the participants are so closely matched that the outcome is uncertain until the very end

例句

The election was so tight that no one knew who would win until the final count.

這場選舉戰況膠著，直到最後計票結束前都沒人知道誰會勝出。

tight election for a close political race

Rin's team won the tight match by scoring a goal in the last minute of play.

Rin 的隊伍在比賽的最後一分鐘踢進一球，贏得了這場膠著的比賽。

tight match for a close sporting contest

同義詞
  • close

    the most common synonym; tight adds a sense of tension that close does not always carry

  • evenly matched

    more formal, emphasises equal ability rather than uncertainty of outcome

  • neck-and-neck

    idiom meaning exactly equal in a race or contest

反義詞
  • one-sided

    a competition where one side clearly dominates

  • uncontested

    a race or election with no opponent

文法句型

tight + noun (race / competition / election / match / contest)

用法筆記

Used for any competitive situation where the result is uncertain. Common nouns: race, match, game, election, contest, competition. Also used adverbially: "the race was running tight."

常見錯誤

❌The students are in a tight race to finish their homework' (not competitive).
✅The election is a tight race between two candidates.
💡this sense requires equal competitors, not just any urgent situation.

9. available only in a small or barely sufficient amount, so that careful managemen

9.形容詞B1
釋義

緊絀；拮据

時間、金錢或資源僅夠用的

available only in a small or barely sufficient amount, so that careful management is needed to avoid running out

例句

Money has been tight since Rachel lost her job at the furniture factory.

自從 Rachel 在傢俱工廠失業後，家裡的經濟就一直很拮据。

money is tight for financial difficulty

The deadline is tight, so the team must finish the report by tomorrow morning.

截止日期很緊，團隊必須在明天早上之前完成報告。

tight deadline for a short time limit

同義詞
  • limited

    broader and less emotional; tight implies stress about the limitation

  • scarce

    stronger — not just limited but genuinely hard to obtain

  • pressed

    used in phrases like 'pressed for time' but not interchangeable in all contexts

反義詞

文法句型

tight + noun (budget / schedule / deadline / time / money)

用法筆記

Subject is typically a resource noun: time, money, space, budget, schedule, deadline, resources. It is the resource itself that is described as tight, not the person managing it. The phrase "things are tight" is a common informal generalisation.

常見錯誤

❌I am tight on money this month' (person as subject).
✅Money is tight this month.
💡the resource, not the person, is the subject with this meaning.

10. unwilling to spend money or give things away, even when it is reasonable or expe

10.形容詞B2
釋義

小氣；吝嗇

不願意花錢或送東西給別人的

unwilling to spend money or give things away, even when it is reasonable or expected to do so

例句

Kevin is so tight that he refused to buy a birthday present for his own brother.

Kevin 小氣到連自己弟弟的生日禮物都不肯買。

so + tight + that clause for extreme stinginess

The landlord was too tight to fix the broken heater in the apartment building.

那個房東吝嗇到不願意修理公寓大樓裡壞掉的暖氣。

同義詞
  • stingy

    more common in American English, similarly negative

  • mean

    stronger negative connotation, implies unfairness or cruelty about money

  • miserly

    more formal and literary, suggests extreme greed

  • tight-fisted

    idiomatic expression with the same meaning

反義詞
  • generous

    willing to give freely

  • liberal

    spending or giving freely and often in large amounts

文法句型

too tight + infinitive

tight with + noun (money)

用法筆記

Informal and mildly negative. Describes a person's character, not a temporary situation. Distinguish from sense 9 (LIMITED SUPPLY) — sense 9 talks about a resource being scarce, while this sense talks about a person's unwillingness to share resources they have. The subject is always a person or organisation.

常見錯誤

❌I am tight with money this month' (temporary shortage).
✅My uncle is tight with money
💡he never treats anyone to dinner.' — sense 10 is a personality trait, not a temporary financial situation.

11. having consumed more alcohol than is sensible, resulting in impaired control of

11.形容詞B2
釋義

喝醉

因飲酒過量而酒醉的（英式非正式用法）

having consumed more alcohol than is sensible, resulting in impaired control of movement, speech, or judgment

例句

After three glasses of wine, Christopher got a little tight at the office party.

Christopher 在公司派對上喝了三杯酒之後，就有點醉了。

get tight as a colloquial pattern

Lakshmi knew she was getting tight when the room began to spin around her.

Lakshmi 覺得房間開始在眼前旋轉時，就知道自己喝醉了。

同義詞
  • drunk

    the standard neutral term; tight is more informal and slightly less severe

  • tipsy

    even milder than tight, suggests light drunkenness

  • wasted

    slang; much stronger and more negative than tight

反義詞
  • sober

    not affected by alcohol at all

文法句型

get + tight

be + tight

a little + tight

quite + tight

用法筆記

British informal, slightly milder than drunk. Can be modified by a little / quite / very. Common in social contexts. Distinguish from sense 9 — both can appear in "things got tight last night" but the meaning (money vs. alcohol) is disambiguated by context.

常見錯誤

❌My schedule is tight because I had too much to drink' (wrong sense for context).
✅I got a little tight at the wedding reception.
💡the meaning 'drunk' only applies to people, not to things.

12. having a very close and trusting relationship with someone, sharing personal fee

12.形容詞B2
釋義

麻吉；親近的

人與人之間關係非常親密友好的

having a very close and trusting relationship with someone, sharing personal feelings and spending a lot of time together

例句

Ilan and Mira have been tight since they met in primary school years ago.

Ilan 和 Mira 從小學認識以來就一直很麻吉。

have been tight + since + [time] for lasting friendship

The two sisters are very tight and tell each other everything about their lives.

這對姊妹感情非常好，生活中任何事情都會告訴對方。

very tight for a strong bond

同義詞
  • close

    the standard neutral term; tight is more informal and colloquial

  • inseparable

    stronger — suggests the people are almost always together

  • thick

    British informal, similar in meaning and register ("thick as thieves")

反義詞
  • distant

    not close emotionally or socially

  • estranged

    more formal; implies a deliberate break in the relationship

文法句型

be tight with + person

get tight with + person

用法筆記

Informal. Used between friends, romantic partners, or family members. Often in the pattern "be tight with [someone]" or "X and Y are tight." Distinguish from sense 10 (STINGY) — the preposition with determines the meaning: tight with money means stingy, tight with a person means close.

常見錯誤

❌I am tight with my money' (confusing senses).
✅I am tight with my cousin
💡we hang out every weekend.' — for CLOSE FRIENDS sense, the object of 'with' must be a person, not a resource.

13. describes a band or musical performance where the musicians play together with v

13.形容詞B2
釋義

默契

樂團演奏配合精準、乾淨俐落

describes a band or musical performance where the musicians play together with very good timing and coordination, so the music sounds smooth and well-rehearsed

例句

After months of daily rehearsals, the five-piece band finally sounded tight on stage.

經過數月的每日排練，這個五人樂團在台上終於展現出默契的演出。

collocation: tight band / sound tight

Critics praised the album for its tight arrangements and sharp guitar work.

樂評人稱讚這張專輯編曲緊湊，吉他演奏銳利。

collocation: tight arrangements

同義詞
  • polished

    focuses on the refined, finished quality of the performance; broader use than tight

  • slick

    similar informal register, but can imply superficial smoothness in non-music contexts

  • cohesive

    more formal; emphasizes unity and how well parts fit together

反義詞
  • sloppy

    opposite: careless, poorly coordinated performance

  • loose

    opposite: lacking precision and tight coordination

文法句型

tight + noun (band / performance / arrangements)

sound + tight

用法筆記

Informal register. Common in music reviews and conversation about live performances. The subject is typically a band, group, choir, or their playing. Distinguish from sense 1 (physically firm) — tight here describes musical coordination, not physical tension.

常見錯誤

❌The rope feels tight around my arms' (when describing music).
✅The band played a tight set.
💡'tight' for music describes coordinated performance, not physical tightness.

tight — 副詞