I. ˈna(ˌ)rō, -_rə also ˈne(-, often -_rəw+V adjective
( -er/-est )
Etymology: Middle English narwe, naru, narowe, from Old English nearu; akin to Old High German narwa scar, narrow mark of a scar, snuor cord, Old Norse snœri twisted rope, Gothic snorjo basket, net, Greek narnax box, chest, Lithuanian nerti to dive, thread; basic meaning: twisting
1.
a. : of little breadth especially in comparison with length
a narrow bay
a narrow table
b. : not possessing usual or expected width
a narrow sidewalk
c. of a textile : woven narrow (as in widths less than 18 inches) and suitable for ribbon, tape, webbing, or braid — compare broad
2.
a. : limited in size or scope : restricted , circumscribed
narrow resources
narrow nations
in a narrower sense, history is the record of human events — A.L.Guérard
b. : close around : confining
narrow bounds
3.
a.
(1) : possessed of insufficient means : meager
a narrow income
narrow circumstances
(2) : meager , bigoted , small
a narrow individual
a narrow mind
b. chiefly dialect : stingy , niggardly
4.
a. : having only a little margin : having barely sufficient space, time, or number : close
winner in the election by a narrow margin
b. : uncomfortably close to failure : barely successful
a narrow escape
5.
a. : concentrating on minute particulars : close
a narrow inspection
b. : extremely precise
a machine with narrow tolerances
6. of an animal ration : relatively rich in protein as compared with carbohydrate and fat — compare wide
7.
a. : tense 3
b. of pronunciation transcription : representing by diacritical symbols many differences in and varieties of sounds including nonphonemic differences — compare broad
8. : of limited activity (as with little or no demand or supply for particular issues)
a narrow market
also : characterized by very small price changes
a narrow price range
Synonyms:
strait: narrow is the ordinary term signifying not broad or wide
a narrow tape
a narrow street
a narrow entrance
It commonly extends to signify cramped, restricted, or circumscribed
a narrow squeeze through a passage
a narrow interpretation of a law
and often suggests the provincial, sectional, or partisan
a narrow sectarian opinion on a national problem
a narrow mind
strait , now archaic or dialectic except in the phrase the strait and narrow path, more strongly than narrow implies tightness and closeness, commonly extending in meaning to include the idea of the strictness or rigorousness of great and distressing restraints
narrow is the gate and strait is the way, which leadeth unto life — Mt 7:14 (Douay Version)
a strait prison
to reform … some strait decrees that lie too heavy on the commonwealth — Shakespeare
II. noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English narwe, from narwe, adjective
: the narrow part of something: as
a. : a narrow passage (as in a mountain pass or street)
b. : a contracted part of a stream, lake, or sea ; specifically : a strait connecting two bodies of water
the Narrows of New York harbor
— usually used in plural but sometimes sing. in constr.
c. : a narrow gallery in a mine
III. verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: narrow (I)
transitive verb
1. : to decrease the breadth or extent of : contract ; specifically : decrease 2
2. : to contract the reach or sphere of
narrow the powers of executive authority
: make less liberal or broad : limit
narrow one's views on education
intransitive verb
: to become less broad : contract , lessen
the river narrows above the town