Middle English Dictionary Entry
tighten v.(2)
Entry Info
| Forms | tighten v.(2) Also tiȝt, (N) teit; p. tight(e, tiȝt(e, (N) thight; ppl. i)tight, tighte, i)tiȝt, tiȝte, tiȝth, tiht, tith, (N) tithte, (SW) iteiȝt & (early) thit. |
| Etymology | Prob. from OE tihian, tihhian, vars. of teohhian, p. -ode; the relatively late emergence of a present tense in -t suggests a back formation from the preterit, perhaps by analogy with ME stighten v. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. tegen v.
1.
(a) To form an intention, intend;—used in clauses introduced by as; also, intend or plan to go (somewhere, into a boat); decide (on a course of action); (b) to intend (to do sth.), plan; resolve (to do sth.), decide; also, make an effort (to do sth.) [quot. c1400(?c1380)]; (c) to intend (a cruel act); plan to say (sth.); also, plan to take (sth.) [quot. c1450].
Associated quotations
a
- c1330(?c1300) Amis (Auch)1697 : In her way þai went ful riȝt To begge her brede as þai hadde tiȝt.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)3157 : Quen he þe sted sagh þar he tight, þe child he dide o þe ass light.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)5432 : Fader..It sal be don als þou has tight.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)24488 : Þai..Vte of his fete þe nails drogh..Quen i sagh son warto þai tight [Göt: thight], Al mi licam can þai light.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.93 : On a Thurday at nyght at euen he ȝede to reste, To hunte þer he had tight in his new foreste.
- a1425(?c1350) Ywain (Glb E.9)111 : We wald ȝow pray, Þat ȝe cumand him to say And tel forth, als he had tyght.
- a1425 St.Alex.(2) (LdMisc 463)45/284 : Into þe shipe he went a nyght; Elles-whare þei hadde tyght: Into vnkouþe londe.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)3309 : Þyse to..speke vnto þe senatours What þey wolde, how hadde þey tight, Þeyr cite ȝelde, or stande to fyght.
- a1450 St.Editha (Fst B.3)2235 : Seynt Alphege had verylyche sey in syȝt þat seynt Ede hurre-self was redy þo þere To fonge to þe childe as he had y-teyȝt.
- c1460 Iesu þat art heuene (Stnh 43)28 : Kepe me þat I ne falle In fleschly synne as I haue tyȝt.
- c1450(a1400) Libeaus (Clg A.2)540 : Þus departede day, Lybeaus and þat may, As þey hadden tyȝt.
- 1591(?a1425) Chester Pl.(Hnt HM 2)210/163 : Therfore a songe, as I have tyght, and laudes to thee with hart right, I will shewe here in thy sight.
b
- (c1300) Havelok (LdMisc 108)2990 : Þe swikes haueden thit Reuen hem þat was here rith.
- c1330(?c1300) Bevis (Auch)838 : A stiward was wiþ king Ermin Þat hadde tiȝt to sle þat swin.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)729 : To slen him had he tiȝte.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)12032 : And cums a child, an maledight, Apon iesu to resis he tight.
- a1400(a1325) Glo.Chron.B (Trin-C R.4.26)834/14 : On abbot þat het edward of glastingburi riȝt; Fram his furst tumbe buriȝe him he hadde ytiȝt.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)1108 : Forþy brek he þe bred blades wythouten, For hit ferde freloker in fete in his fayre honde, Displayed more pryvyly when he hit part schulde, Þenne alle þe toles of Tolowse moȝt tyȝt hit to kerve.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)2483 : Mony a venture in vale & [read: he] venquyst ofte Þat I ne tyȝt at þis tyme in tale to remene.
- a1425(c1333-52) Minot Poems (Glb E.9)17/1 : Towrenay, ȝow has tight To timber trey and tene A bore with brenis bright.
- a1425 Arth.& M.(LinI 150)263 : At..parlement þey hadyn tyȝt Forto a slayn þeo childre ryȝt.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)5488 : Atte water Hamon doun lyght, Intil a bot Hamon had tyght; Byforn cam Arwygar atte bot, Sire Hamones hed þer of he smot.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)5860 : Toward ȝork faste þem dight, To remue hem he hadde tyght.
- c1450 Inf.Chr.(Add 31042)640 : Herawde..hade tighte to do thaym ille.
- c1450(a1375) Octav.(2) (Clg A.2)1476 : To brewe þe Crystene mennys banys Hy hadden tyȝt.
- a1500(?a1400) SLChrist (Hrl 3909)2075 : Mirre..was ȝyuen oright..to bavme hym, al-thaȝe he had tiȝt to rise from deth in daies thre.
- a1500(?a1400) SLChrist (Hrl 3909)4364 : In whice office..holy chirche to God almight four thinges special con pray, as I to telle now haue i-tight.
- 1591(?a1425) Chester Pl.(Hnt HM 2)135/235 : A torne to take have I tight with my masters.
c
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)1225 : Now haþ he in prisoun herde gras, & more til him is tyȝte.
- a1400 Cursor (Trin-C R.3.8)4124 : Stinte hit wolde he if he myȝt þe foly þat his breþeren tiȝt.
- c1450 Inf.Chr.(Add 31042)86 : The tree lawe to thaire fete gane folde Tille thay hade tane alle þat þay hade tithte [Hrl 3954: tyth].
- 1591(?a1425) Chester Pl.(Hnt HM 2)111/375 : Peace I byd..tyll I have tould that I have tight.
2.
(a) To set (sth.) in position; also, refl. prepare oneself (to do sth.); ~ up; (b) to erect (a structure); also, form (a battle array); ~ up, set up (a tent, siege engine); (c) to appoint (a time); arrange (an opportunity).
Associated quotations
a
- c1330(?c1300) Bevis (Auch)149/3215 : Þanne was be-fore his bed itiȝt..A couertine on raile tre, For noman scholde on bed ise.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)3648 : God of heuene Rychard kepe! After him prykeþ al þe hepe, To slen him þay han hem tyȝt.
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)1013 : Ȝet joyned John þe crysolyt Þe seuenþe gemme in fundament..Þe crysopase þe tenþe is tyȝt.
- c1440(a1400) Awntyrs Arth.(Thrn)355 : The tasee was of topas þat þer to was tyghte.
- c1450(?a1400) Parl.3 Ages (Add 31042)44 : I bende vp my bowe and..Tighte vp my tylere and taysede at the hert.
b
- c1330 St.Greg.(Auch)109/565 : Y tiȝt he hadde his pauiloun, His tentes sprad ful wide.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Judg.20.33 : So alle þe sonys of Israel risynge fro þeir seetys tiȝtyn [WB(2): settiden] scheltrome in þe place þat is clepid Baalthamar.
- a1425 PPl.A(1) (UC 45)2.42 : Tight [vr. tyȝth; Trin-C: In myddis a mounteyne..Was..a pauyloun..And ten þousand of tentis teldit beside].
- c1450(?a1400) Parl.3 Ages (Add 31042)361 : There he tighte vp his tentis, and taried there a while.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)1373 : Quen he had tiȝt vp þis tram & þis tild rerid, Hit had of bradnes abofe to breue out of mesure.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)2174 : To Tergarontes he teȝe, þare tiȝt was a mynstre.
- a1500(?c1450) Florence (Cmb Ff.2.38)379 : They tyght þer pavylons in a stede.
- c1600(?c1395) PPl.Creed (Trin-C R.3.15)168 : Þanne y entrid in..all was walled þat wone þouȝ it wid were..Wiþ tabernacles y-tiȝt to toten all abouten.
c
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)24344 : To tene al tight [Phys-E: tiht] us was þat time, Quen we na hele moght se on him.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.155 : Philip..to R. sent, how long he wild þer lie, & what tyme he had tight forward his nauie, His sege to sette & dight.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)1153 : Ȝif ȝe wolde tyȝt me a tom, telle hit I wolde, Hou charged more watz his chaunce þat hem cherych nolde, Þen his fader forloyne þat feched hem wyth strenþe.
3.
To describe (sth.), set forth;—also without obj. in as clause; also, promise (sth.); also [last quot.], ?pass along (words); ?error for techen v.
Associated quotations
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)18323 : Þat þou thoru prophet tald and tight, Nu es it fulfilled be-for vr sight.
- a1400 Cursor (Göt Theol 107)11050 : Þu may be traist and redi bide, All þat is tight [Vsp: þe es hight] sal be-tyde.
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)1053 : As John þe appostel in termez tyȝte; Þe hyȝe Godez self hit set vpone.
- (1435) Misyn FL (Corp-O 236)80/7 : No man þat strawnge is fro þis vnmesurde lufe, dare slike wordis teyt þe qwhilk ȝit is sturbyld with temptacion.