Definition of 'tide'

Word Frequency

tide

(taɪd )

Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular present tense tides , present participle tiding , past tense, past participle tided

1. countable noun

The tide is the regular change in the level of the sea on the shore.

The tide was at its highest.

The tide was going out, and the sand was smooth and glittering.

State police say that high tides and severe flooding have damaged beaches.

2. countable noun

A tide is a current in the sea that is caused by the regular and continuous movement of large areas of water towards and away from the shore.

Roman vessels used to sail with the tide from Boulogne to Richborough.

Synonyms: current, flow, stream, course More Synonyms of tide

3. singular noun

The tide of opinion, for example, is what the majority of people think at a particular time.

The tide of opinion seems overwhelmingly in his favour. [+ of]

4. singular noun

People sometimes refer to events or forces that are difficult or impossible to control as the tide of history, for example.

They talked of reversing the tide of history. [+ of]

The tide of war swept back across their country.

Synonyms: course, direction, trend, current More Synonyms of tide

5. singular noun

You can talk about a tide of something, especially something which is unpleasant, when there is a large and increasing amount of it.

...an ever increasing tide of crime. [+ of]

The tide of nationalism is still running high in a number of republics.

6. See also high tide, low tide

Phrasal verbs:

See tide over

Video: pronunciation of
tide

tide in British English 1

(taɪd )

noun

the cyclic rise and fall of sea level caused by the gravitational pull of the sun and moon. There are usually two high tides and two low tides in each lunar day

the current, ebb, or flow of water at a specified place resulting from these changes in level

the tide is coming in

3. ebb (sense 3), flood (sense 3)

a widespread tendency or movement

the tide of resentment against the government

a critical point in time; turning point

the tide of his fortunes

6. Northern England dialect

a fair or holiday

7. (in combination)

a season or time

Christmastide

8. rare

any body of mobile water, such as a stream

9. archaic

a favourable opportunity

verb

10.

to carry or be carried with or as if with the tide

11. (intransitive)

to ebb and flow like the tide

Derived forms

tideless (ˈtideless)

adjective

tidelike (ˈtideˌlike)

adjective

Word origin

Old English tīd time; related to Old High German zīt, Old Norse tīthr time

Word Frequency

tide in British English 2

(taɪd )

verb

(intransitive) archaic

to happen

Word origin

Old English tīdan; related to Old Frisian tīdia to proceed to, Middle Low German tīden to hurry, Old Norse tītha to desire

happen in British English 2

(ˈhæpən )

verb

1. (intransitive)

(of an event in time) to come about or take place; occur

2. (intransitive; foll by to)

(of some unforeseen circumstance or event, esp death), to fall to the lot (of); be a source of good or bad fortune (to)

if anything happens to me, it'll be your fault

3. (transitive)

to chance (to be or do something)

I happen to know him

4. (tr; takes a clause as object)

to be the case, esp if by chance, that

it happens that I know him

adverb, sentence substitute

5. Northern England dialect

a. another word for perhaps

(as sentence modifier)

happen I'll see thee tomorrow

▶ USAGE See note at occur

Word Frequency

tide in American English 1

(taɪd )

noun

1. Obsolete

a period of time

now only in combination

Eastertide, eventide

the alternate rise and fall of the surface of oceans, seas, and the bays, rivers, etc. connected with them, caused by the attraction of the moon and sun: it may occur twice in each period of 24 hours and 50 minutes, which is the time of one rotation of the earth with respect to the moon

tide in American English 2

(taɪd )

verb transitiveWord forms: ˈtided or ˈtiding

Archaic

to betide; happen

Word origin

ME tiden < OE tidan < tid: see tide1

Examples of 'tide' in a sentence
tide

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Swap one winger for another and hope that will somehow stem the tide.The short link to the island and its lighthouse is submerged at high tide.One voice was still pathetically protesting against the tide of history yesterday.There's a sea cave to play in at low tide.Pebbles in a pond, not a tide in the sea.We needed to stem the tide after a 3-0 defeat in our previous game.It is low tide, which will help to carry the swimmers out.It is thought part of the 40ft cliff crashed down after being weakened by high tides and rain.While deposits continue to disappoint, more such episodes are as inevitable as the ebb and flow of the tide.Except I have to head to the airport because time, tide and airline schedules wait for no one.