tide

¹

[tahyd]

noun

1. the periodic rise and fall of the waters of the ocean and its inlets, produced by the attraction of the moon and sun, and occurring about every 12 hours.

2. the inflow, outflow, or current of water at any given place resulting from the waves of tides.

3. flood tide.

4. a stream or current.

5. anything that alternately rises and falls, increases and decreases, etc..

   the tide of the seasons.

6. current, tendency, or drift, as of events or ideas.

   the tide of international events.

7. any extreme or critical period or condition.

   The tide of her illness is at its height.

8. a season or period in the course of the year, day, etc. (now used chiefly in combination).

   wintertide; eventide.

9. Ecclesiastical.,  a period of time that includes and follows an anniversary, festival, etc.

10. Archaic.,  a suitable time or occasion.

11. Obsolete.,  an extent of time.

verb (used without object)

tided, tiding 

1. to flow as the tide; flow to and fro.

2. to float or drift with the tide.

verb (used with object)

tided, tiding 

1. to carry, as the tide does.

verb phrase

1. tide over

   1. to assist in getting over a period of difficulty or distress.

   2. to surmount (a difficulty, obstacle, etc.); survive.

tide

²

[tahyd]

verb (used without object)

Archaic.

tided, tiding 

1. to happen or befall.

tide

¹

/ taɪd /

noun

1. 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 See also tide-generating force neap tide spring tide

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

   the tide is coming in

3. See ebb flood

4. a widespread tendency or movement

   the tide of resentment against the government

5. a critical point in time; turning point

   the tide of his fortunes

6. 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

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

2. (intr) to ebb and flow like the tide

tide

²

/ taɪd /

verb

1. archaic,  (intr) to happen

tide

1. The regular rise and fall in the surface level of the Earth's oceans, seas, and bays caused by the gravitational attraction of the Moon and to a lesser extent of the Sun. The maximum high tides (or spring tides) occur when the Moon and Sun are directly aligned with Earth, so that their gravitational pull on Earth's waters is along the same line and is reinforced. The lowest high tides (or neap tides) occur when the Moon and Sun are at right angles to each other, so that their gravitational pull on Earth's waters originates from two different directions and is mitigated. Tides vary greatly by region and are influenced by sea-floor topography, storms, and water currents.

2. See also ebb tide flood tide neap tide spring tide

Other Word Forms

• tidelike adjective
• tideless adjective
• tideful adjective
• tidelessness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of tide¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English, Old English tīd “time, hour”; cognate with Dutch tijd, German Zeit, Old Norse tīth; akin to time

Origin of tide²

First recorded before 1000; Middle English tiden, Old English tīdan; betide

Word History and Origins

Origin of tide¹

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

Origin of tide²

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

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. turn the tide, to reverse the course of events, especially from one extreme to another.

   The Battle of Saratoga turned the tide of the American Revolution.

More idioms and phrases containing tide

• stem the tide
• swim against the current (tide)
• swim with the tide
• time and tide
• turn of the tide

Example Sentences

"We are seeing the rise of the turquoise tide," he told supporters, who had been summoned to the hall three hours earlier than expected over the Birmingham venue's public address system.

From BBC

They rode the tide of an Italian fashion revival that stole the fire from the French for a full decade.

From Los Angeles Times

Its fire is different — not a slap-you-in-the-face blaze but a cleaner, more vegetal heat that builds and breaks gently, more like a tide rolling in and out.

From Salon

In 2119, with Great Britain transformed into an archipelago by rising tides, a humanities professor named Thomas Metcalfe tries to solve the mystery of a lost poem.

From Los Angeles Times

It hasn’t done much to stem the tide.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• flood 
• spate 
• stream 
• tendency 
• torrent 
• trend 
• undercurrent 
• wave