taut — stretched or pulled tight; not slack
Part of speech: ADJECTIVE
Definition: stretched or pulled tight; not slack
Pronunciation (IPA): /tɔːt/
Example Sentences
- The circus performer walked across the taut wire like it was a sidewalk.
- After the horror movie, everyone's nerves were taut as guitar strings.
- The ship's sails were taut in the strong wind.
taut
ADJECTIVE[/tɔːt/]
stretched or pulled tight; not slack
The tightrope walker steps onto the taut rope high above the circus crowd.
T(tight) + AUT(out) — pulling the fishing line T(tight) and completely AUT(out) of the water, the fisherman kept it perfectly taut.
After the wild bear got firmly caught in the trap, the heavy rope instantly pulled incredibly taut.
Got the picture? Now let's practice.
🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
From Middle English 'taut,' possibly from Old Norse 'þéttr' meaning 'thick' or 'dense,' which came to mean 'tight' or 'tense.' The word may also be influenced by Old French 'tout' meaning 'all' or 'entire,' referring to something completely drawn tight.
Breakdown
taut (single morpheme, no further breakdown) - a simple adjective with roots in Old Norse/Germanic languages, not composed of separable morphemes in English
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“The circus performer walked across the taut wire like it was a sidewalk.”
“After the horror movie, everyone's nerves were taut as guitar strings.”
“The ship's sails were taut in the strong wind.”
“My grandmother's face cream promises to keep skin taut until you're 90.”
“The construction worker kept the safety line taut at all times.”
📚Related Words
Want to master 27,000+ words?
Sign up free for flashcards & quizzes.