straiten verb¹. ['streɪt(ǝ)n] Also straighten. E16.
[from STRAIT adjective¹ + -EN⁵.]
1. verb trans.
a. Deprive partially of (a possession or privilege). E16-M17.
■ J. Howell The King is streightned of that liberty he formerly had.
b. Reduce or restrict the freedom, power, or privileges of (a person). arch. L16.
■ J. Martineau Our spirit..is so straitened by the bands of sin..that there is no freedom.

2. verb trans. Make narrow; esp. narrow or contract (a passage, road, stream, etc.). arch. M16.
■ J. Austen The passage was straitened by tables.
■ J. M. Good The throat is rough and straightened from the second day of the eruption.
b. Close the ranks of (an army). rare. L16-E17.

3. verb trans. Confine in or force into a narrow space; hem in closely. Also foll. by in. Now rare. L16.
■ Milton To dwell In narrow circuit strait'nd by a Foe.
■ A. P. Stanley The small tribe of Dan, already straitened between the mountains and the sea.

4. verb intrans. Become narrow. arch. E17.
■ G. J. Cayley The valley..began to straiten..to so narrow a gorge.

5. verb trans. Reduce to straits; subject to privation, hardship, or distress. E17.
■ W. H. Prescott The viceroy..endeavoured to straiten the garrison there by desolating the surrounding country.
■ R. Adams He was a vagabond in a strange country,..straitened by need.
b. Inconvenience by shortage of something specified (freq. foll. by for). Usu. in pass. arch. E17.
■ D. Hume The garrison, being straightened for provisions, were obliged to capitulate.
c. spec. Make short of money, impoverish. L17.

6. verb trans. Hamper, impede in action. E17-E18.

7. verb trans. Tighten (a knot, bonds, etc.). obsolete exc. Scot. M17.
■ Pope Morality..Gasps, as they straiten at each end the cord.

8. verb trans. Restrict in range, scope, or amount. M17.
■ A. W. Kinglake The conquest of the shores of the Bosphorus..would straiten..England's authority in the world.
Phrases: straiten a person's quarters (chiefly Military) reduce the area occupied by a person.

■ straitened ppl adjective that has been straitened; spec. (of circumstances) characterized by hardship or poverty: E17.

[TahlilGaran] English Dictionary ▲