taut nerves

taut — I. adjective Etymology: Middle English tought, perhaps from tought, toughth fierce, tough, alteration of tough tough Date: 14th century 1. a. having no give or slack ; tightly drawn < a taut rope > b. high strung, tense …   New Collegiate Dictionary

taut — [[t]tɔt[/t]] adj. er, est 1) tightly drawn; tense; not slack 2) emotionally or mentally strained or tense: taut nerves[/ex] 3) in good order or condition; tidy; neat; trim • Etymology: 1275–1325; earlier taught, ME tought; akin to tow I taut′ly,… …   From formal English to slang

taut — tautly, adv. tautness, n. /tawt/, adj., tauter, tautest. 1. tightly drawn; tense; not slack. 2. emotionally or mentally strained or tense: taut nerves. 3. in good order or condition; tidy; neat. [1275 1325; earlier taught, ME tought; akin to TOW1 …   Universalium

taut — ► ADJECTIVE 1) stretched or pulled tight. 2) (of muscles or nerves) tense. 3) (of writing, music, etc.) concise and controlled. 4) (of a ship) having a disciplined crew. DERIVATIVES tauten verb tautly adverb tautness noun …   English terms dictionary

nerves — n. nervousness 1) an attack; bundle of nerves mental state 2) to fray, frazzle smb. s nerves; to get on smb. s nerves 3) to calm, settle one s nerves 4) frayed, frazzled; steady; strong; taut; weak nerves misc. 5) to have nerves of steel ( to be… …   Combinatory dictionary

taut — adjective 1》 stretched or pulled tight.     ↘(of muscles or nerves) tense. 2》 (of writing, music, etc.) concise and controlled. 3》 (of a ship) having a disciplined crew. Derivatives tauten verb tautly adverb tautness noun Origin ME tought… …   English new terms dictionary

taut — adj. 1 (of a rope, muscles, etc.) tight; not slack. 2 (of nerves) tense. 3 (of a ship etc.) in good order or condition. Derivatives: tauten v.tr. & intr. tautly adv. tautness n. Etymology: ME touht, togt, perh. = TOUGH, infl. by tog past part.… …   Useful english dictionary

tauten — taut ► ADJECTIVE 1) stretched or pulled tight. 2) (of muscles or nerves) tense. 3) (of writing, music, etc.) concise and controlled. 4) (of a ship) having a disciplined crew. DERIVATIVES tauten verb tautly adverb tautness noun …   English terms dictionary

tautly — taut ► ADJECTIVE 1) stretched or pulled tight. 2) (of muscles or nerves) tense. 3) (of writing, music, etc.) concise and controlled. 4) (of a ship) having a disciplined crew. DERIVATIVES tauten verb tautly adverb tautness noun …   English terms dictionary

tautness — taut ► ADJECTIVE 1) stretched or pulled tight. 2) (of muscles or nerves) tense. 3) (of writing, music, etc.) concise and controlled. 4) (of a ship) having a disciplined crew. DERIVATIVES tauten verb tautly adverb tautness noun …   English terms dictionary

nerve — noun 1 in the body ADJECTIVE ▪ pinched (AmE), trapped (BrE) ▪ sensitive ▪ damaged ▪ facial, optic, sciatic …   Collocations dictionary