verb
ADVERB
▪ a little , slightly , etc.
▪ considerably
▪ gradually , slowly
▪ suddenly
▪ instinctively , involuntarily , unconsciously
▪
Her fingers ~ed unconsciously with every jolt she received.
▪ painfully
▪ up
▪
Can you ~ up the bolts for me?
VERB + TIGHTEN
▪ seem to
▪ feel sth
▪
He felt his stomach ~.
▪ make sth
▪
His words made her throat ~.
PREPOSITION
▪ about ( BrE ), around , round ( esp. BrE )
▪
His hand ~ed painfully around her wrist.
▪ on
▪
Her grip seemed to ~ on the door handle.
▪ in
▪
He saw his father's jaw ~ in irritation.
▪ into
▪
His mouth ~ed into a thin hard line.
▪ with
▪
Her face ~ed with pain.
Tighten is used with these nouns as the subject: ↑ arm , ↑ chest , ↑ face , ↑ fist , ↑ grip , ↑ hand , ↑ jaw , ↑ lip , ↑ mouth , ↑ muscle , ↑ noose , ↑ shoulder , ↑ stomach , ↑ throat
Tighten is used with these nouns as the object: ↑ ban , ↑ belt , ↑ blockade , ↑ bolt , ↑ censorship , ↑ control , ↑ embargo , ↑ embrace , ↑ fist , ↑ grasp , ↑ grip , ↑ hold , ↑ jaw , ↑ knot , ↑ loophole , ↑ muscle , ↑ noose , ↑ nut , ↑ regulation , ↑ rein , ↑ restriction , ↑ rope , ↑ screw , ↑ security , ↑ strap , ↑ string , ↑ supervision