tide
Pluraltides
Pluraltides
- 1The way the sea goes up and down each day, and the water that moves in or out as it does.
Like the sea slowly breathing in and out, once up and once down each day.
The tide comes in twice a day at this beach.
We waited for the tide to go out before walking to the island.
UsageThe tide comes in and goes out.
- 2The general direction in which events or feelings are moving.
Like a crowd that slowly starts moving all in one direction.
The tide of public opinion turned against the new law.
He could feel the tide of the meeting shifting in his favor.
UsageSay the tide is turning when things start to go the other way.
Similartrend, current, course, tendency, drift
Note
- 3A large, rushing flow of something, like water or a crowd.
Like a huge wave of people pushing through one doorway at once.
A tide of shoppers poured into the store on opening day.
The river became a brown tide after days of heavy rain.
UsageSay a tide of people or a tide of water.
Oppositetrickle
Note
- 4To help someone get through a hard time or shortage. It is usually said as tide someone over.
Like a small bridge that helps you cross over a gap until you reach solid ground.
A small loan should tide them over until next month.
She kept some snacks to tide the kids over before dinner.
UsageSay a loan will tide you over until payday.
- 5
Less common meanings
- 6An old word for a time or season. Now it is mostly seen in words like eventide and Christmastide.
Note
- 7A pull like the sea's tide, caused by gravity acting on the Earth or another space body.
Like the way the moon pulls on the sea, but tugging at solid rock instead.
Gravity from Jupiter creates a strong tide on its nearest moon.
The Earth's solid crust rises slightly because of the tide from the moon.
Note
- 8To move a ship along a river by floating with the sea's flow and anchoring when it turns against you.
With no wind at all, the old ship had to tide up the river.
They chose to tide into the harbor on the rising water.
Similardrift
Note
- 9A violent meeting or clash of flowing waters.
Note
- 10To flow or pour out in a great rush, like a flood.
- 11To happen, occur, or come about.
I wit not what may tide us here
1779, David Dalrymple, Annals of ScotlandHere, tide means happen or come about to us.Note
- 12To carry or push something along by floating it on flowing water.
They are tided down the stream.
1623, Owen Feltham, Resolves: Divine - 13A length of time lasting twelve hours, used in some trades.
Showing meanings only.
Practice
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Origins
It comes from Old English tīd, an old Germanic word. It is related to the word 'time'.
Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 3 facts
- Tide comes from Old English tīd. en.wiktionary.org
- Old English tīd has Germanic ancestry. en.wiktionary.org
- Tide is etymologically related to time. en.wiktionary.org
It comes from Old English tīdan, meaning 'to happen'.
Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 2 facts
- The verb tide derives from Old English tīdan. en.wiktionary.org
- Old English tīdan means 'to happen'. en.wiktionary.org