TAUT

I. adjective Etymology: Middle English tought, perhaps from tought, toughth fierce, tough, alteration of tough tough Date: 14th century 1. having no give or slack ; tightly drawn , high-strung , tense , 2. kept in proper order or condition , b. not loose or flabby , marked by economy of structure and detail , ~ly adverb ~ness noun II. transitive verb Etymology: origin unknown Date: 1721 mat , tangle