taut

Meanings

Adjective

• Under tension, like a stretched bowstring, rope, or sail; tight.
• Not flabby; firm, toned; having a lean, strong body.
• Containing only relevant parts; brief and controlled.
• Experiencing anxiety or stress.
• Neat and well-disciplined; efficient and in order.
• Strong; uncompromising.

Verb

• To make taut; to tauten, to tighten.

Origin

• The adjective is derived from Middle English taught, Early Middle English tohte, towehte, probably from tough, touth, touʒth, toʒt and possibly influenced by togen, towen, past participle of ten (modern English tee), or directly from its etymon Old English tēon (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *dewk-) and is cognate with Scots tacht, taght.
• The verb is probably derived from the adjective.