taut

Meaning

Adj

1. Under tension, like a stretched bowstring, rope, or sail; tight.
2. Not flabby; firm, toned; (of a person) having a lean, strong body.
3. Containing only relevant parts; brief and controlled.
4. Experiencing anxiety or stress.
5. Neat and well-disciplined; (by extension) efficient and in order.
6. Strong; uncompromising.

Verb

To make taut; to tauten, to tighten.

Synonyms

tense

tight

strained

firm

stern

stretched

stiff

nervous

rigid

serious

snug

straight

stretch

uptight

pull tight

become tight

intensive

set up hard

strain

even

stressed

unpermissive

erect

strict

take-up

tautly

tautness

critical

‼️

tidy

close

tightened

trim

upright

tightly stretched

be stiff

fully spread

taken up slack

resilient

bracing

removed slack

short

skin-tight

taut-

narrow

Pronounced as (IPA)

/tɔːt/

Etymology

The adjective is derived from Middle English taught [and other forms], Early Middle English tohte, towehte (“strained, stretched; distended; tight; firm”), probably from tough, touth, touʒth, toʒt (“powerful, strong; fierce, violent; not tender, tough; hardy, resilient; steadfast, stout; difficult to do or endure”) and possibly influenced by togen, towen, past participle of ten (“to extend, stretch out; to drag, haul, pull, tow, tug”) (modern English tee (“(obsolete) to draw, lead; to draw away; to go, proceed”)), or directly from its etymon Old English tēon (“to drag, draw, pull”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *dewk- (“to draw, pull”)) The word may be related to thight (“(dialectal) compact, dense; close-fitting, tight”) and tight; and is cognate with Scots tacht, taght (“taut”).
The verb is probably derived from the adjective.