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Webster 1913 Edition
Straiten
Strait′en
,Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Straitened
; p. pr. & vb. n.
Straitening
.] 1.
To make strait; to make narrow; hence, to contract; to confine.
Waters, when
straitened
, as at the falls of bridges, give a roaring noise. Bacon.
In narrow circuit,
straitened
by a foe. Milton.
2.
To make tense, or tight; to tighten.
They
straiten
at each end the cord. Pope.
3.
To restrict; to distress or embarrass in respect of means or conditions of life; – used chiefly in the past participle; – as, a man straitened in his circumstances.
Webster 1828 Edition
Straiten
STRAITEN
,Verb.
T.
1.
To make narrow. In narrow circuit, straitend by a foe.
2.
To contract; to confine; as, to straiten the British commerce.3.
To make tense or tight; as, to straiten a cord.4.
To distress; to perplex; to press with poverty or other necessity; as, a man straitened in his circumstances.5.
To press by want of sufficient room.Waters when straitened, as at the falls of bridges, give a roaring noise.