tide Hear it!

tide1 definition

tide (tīd)

noun

  1. Obsolete a period of time: now only in combination Eastertide, eventide
  2. Etymology: prob. infl. by MLowG or MDu

    1. the alternate rise and fall of the surface of oceans, seas, and the bays, rivers, etc. connected with them, caused by the attraction of the moon and sun: it may occur twice in each period of 24 hours and 50 minutes, which is the time of one rotation of the earth with respect to the moon
    2. flood tide
  3. something that rises and falls like the tide
  4. a stream, current, etc. or trend, tendency, etc. the tide of public opinion
  5. the period during which something is at its highest or fullest point
  6. Archaic an opportune time or occasion

Etymology: ME, tide, time, season < OE tid, time; akin to Ger zeit < IE *dī-, var. of base *da(i)-, to part, divide up > time, Sans dāti, (he) cuts off, Gr dēmos, district, people

adjective

intransitive verb tided tid′ed, tiding tid′·ing

  1. to flow or surge like a tide
  2. Naut. to drift with the tide, esp. in moving into or out of a harbor, river, etc.

transitive verb

to carry with or as with the tide
tide Idioms

tide over

to help along temporarily, as through a period of difficulty

turn the tide

to reverse a condition
tide2 definition

tide (tīd)

transitive verb tided tid′ed, tiding tid′·ing

Archaic to betide; happen

Etymology: ME tiden < OE tidan < tid: see tide

Comments


Do you have more to add? Sign in to share your linguistic knowledge or observation.

Connect with Facebook