taut adj

1 pulled or drawn tight; "taut sails"; "a tight drumhead"; "a tight rope" [syn: tight]

2 subjected to great tension; stretched tight; "the skin of his face looked drawn and tight"; "her nerves were taut as the strings of a bow" [syn: drawn]

English

Etymology

Middle English past participle of tow

Pronunciation

/tɔːt/

• Rhymes: -ɔːt

Adjective

1. tight; under tension, as in a rope or bow string.
   • 1883: Robert Louis Stevenson, Treasure Island

     The hawser was as taut as a bowstring - so strong she pulled upon her anchor.

Translations

• Finnish: tiukka, kireä, jännitetty

Related terms

• tautly
• tautness

Synonyms

tense

A taut object is one under tension.

Taut is also a surname, and may refer to:

• Bruno Taut (1880-1938), prolific German architect, urban planner and author
• Max Taut (1884-1967), German architect

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