tide
tyd
Tide (noun) means the regular rise and fall of the sea, caused mainly by the gravitational pull of the moon and sun. Example: “The tide goes out so far here that you can walk to the island.”
noun
1
The regular rise and fall of the sea, caused mainly by the gravitational pull of the moon and sun.
"The tide goes out so far here that you can walk to the island."
"The boats were stranded on the mudflats until the tide came in."
"Check the tide times before you go rock-pooling."
2
A strong general trend or current of events, opinion, or feeling.
"As the tide of opinion changed, more people started to support the new park."
"Public opinion turned against the policy, and the tide shifted quickly."
"The team rallied to turn the tide of the match in the final minutes."
verb
1
To help someone get through a difficult period ("tide over").
"A few sandwiches in my bag will tide me over until dinner."
"The neighbours lent us some food to tide us over until the shops reopened."
"This loan should tide us over until payday."
How to use tide
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe sea rising and falling on a schedule, or, more broadly, a strong shift in events or feeling.
Common pairings
high tide
low tide
turn the tide
tide someone over
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Word forms
- Plural
- tides
- Third person singular
- tides
- Past tense
- tided
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The _____ goes out so far here that you can walk to the island.
Etymology
From Old English tīd, originally meaning "time," related to German Zeit and Dutch tijd. The sea sense developed because tides come and go at fixed, predictable times.
Related words
Rhymes for tide
See all rhymes for tide →Frequently asked questions
What does “tide” mean?
The word “tide” means the regular rise and fall of the sea, caused mainly by the gravitational pull of the moon and sun. In plain terms, the sea rising and falling on a schedule, or, more broadly, a strong shift in events or feeling.
How do you pronounce “tide”?
“Tide” is pronounced tyd (/taɪd/ in IPA).
How do you use “tide” in a sentence?
Here is “tide” used in a sentence: “The boats were stranded on the mudflats until the tide came in.”
What part of speech is “tide”?
Depending on how it is used, “tide” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “tide” come from?
The word “tide” comes from Old English. From Old English tīd, originally meaning "time," related to German Zeit and Dutch tijd. The sea sense developed because tides come and go at fixed, predictable times.
Is “tide” a common word?
“Tide” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “tide” have?
“Tide” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the regular rise and fall of the sea, caused mainly by the gravitational pull of the moon and sun.
What is the difference between a tide and a current?
A tide is the regular rise and fall of the sea, caused mainly by the gravitational pull of the moon and sun. A current is a continuous directional flow of water, which may be driven by wind, temperature differences, or the tides themselves. In short, tides move water up and down on a predictable cycle, while currents move it from place to place.
Is it "tide over" or "tied over"?
The correct phrase is "tide over," from the verb tide, meaning to help someone get through a difficult period. "Tied over" is a common misspelling that arises because the two phrases sound identical in speech.
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