tighten
verb [ I or T ]
uk/ˈtaɪtən/ us GOVERNMENT, LAW (also tighten up)
to make a rule, system, or law stronger and more difficult to ignore:
tighten controls/rules/regulation There were renewed calls to tighten controls on imported products.
ECONOMICS, FINANCE
limiting the amount of money that people and companies are able to borrow or spend, for example, by increasing interest rates:
Central banks were expected to respond by tightening monetary policy.
ECONOMICS, COMMERCE
if a market tightens, there becomes less of something available than is wanted or needed:
The global market for nurses is tightening.
tighten your belt
to spend less money than usual for a period of time because you do not have as much money:
The major supermarkets have started a price war as customers tighten their belts.
See also
belt-tightening
Phrasal verb
tighten up on sth