Titan vs. Tighten

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Grammarist

Titan and tighten are two words that are pronounced in the same way but are spelled differently and have different meanings, which makes them homophones. We will examine the definitions of titan and tighten, where these two words came from and some examples of their use in sentences.

A titan is someone who is a giant in their field or industry, a person who possesses outstanding importance or intellect. The word titan is taken from the Greek word, which refers to figures in mythology. The Titans were the sons and daughters of Gaia and Uranaus, the deities of earth and sky. These Titans overthrew Uranus, and were in turn overthrown by Zeus. Note that when referring to the Greek Myths, the term Titan is capitalized, but when used figuratively the word titan is rendered with a lowercase t.

Tighten means to fix firmly, to make taut, to condense or restrict. The word tighten is the verb form of the word tight, related words are tightens, tightened, tightening. The word tighten appears in the 1700s, derived from the Old English word tyhtan.

Examples

The Greek mythological Titan of Forethought, Prometheus, dared to disobey Zeus’ wishes by sharing fire and heat with humanity. (The Independent)

Drunken Master launched the career of Jackie Chan and featured the titan of Hong Kong action cinema Yuen Woo-ping. (The Harrogate Advertiser)

That’s even true when he announces his band in advance, as he has for his Kennedy Center show: Bassist James Genus can go for deep swing or hard funk with equal facility; guitarist Lionel Loueke plays jazz and West African traditional music; drummer Vinnie Colaiuta is a titan of fusion; and keyboardist saxophonist Terrace Martin has a reputation as a producer and songwriter who spits in the face of categorization. (The Washington Post)

Kyle officials say they will tighten the city’s water restrictions later this month, citing continuing drought conditions and increasing water consumption. (The Austin American-Statesman)

But if we need to tighten our belts at home, it’s helpful to look at older generations, who were experts in making sure they spent less than they earned. (The Illawarra Mercury)

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