narrow

narrow: [[t]næ̱roʊ[/t]]
♦♦

narrower, narrowest, narrows, narrowing, narrowed

1) ADJ-GRADED Something that is narrow measures a very small distance from one side to the other, especially compared to its length or height.

...through the town's narrow streets...

She had long, narrow feet.

...the narrow strip of land joining the peninsula to the rest of the island.

Ant:

wide

Derived words:

narrowness N-UNCOUNT usu N of n
...the narrowness of the river mouth.

2) VERB If something narrows, it becomes less wide.

The wide track narrows before crossing another stream.

3) V-ERG If your eyes narrow or if you narrow your eyes, you almost close them, for example because you are angry or because you are trying to concentrate on something. [WRITTEN]

Coggins' eyes narrowed angrily. `You think I'd tell you?'...

[V n] He paused and narrowed his eyes in concentration.

Ant:

widen

4) ADJ-GRADED (disapproval) If you describe someone's ideas, attitudes, or beliefs as narrow, you disapprove of them because they are restricted in some way, and often ignore the more important aspects of an argument or situation.

...a narrow and outdated view of family life...

I would have preferred somebody who had wider ideas, and he was rather narrow.

Syn:

limited

Ant:

broad

Derived words:

narrowly ADV-GRADED ADV after v, ADV -ed/adj
The present A-level system requires schoolchildren to specialise far too early and too narrowly...

They're making judgments based on a narrowly focused vision of the world.

narrowness N-UNCOUNT usu N of n
...the narrowness of their mental and spiritual outlook.

5) V-ERG If something narrows or if you narrow it, its extent or range becomes smaller.

Most recent opinion polls suggest that the gap between the two main parties has narrowed...

[V n] The European Community and America had narrowed their differences over farm subsidies.

Ant:

widen

Derived words:

narrowing N-SING
...a narrowing of the gap between rich members and poor.

6) ADJ-GRADED: usu ADJ n If you have a narrow victory, you succeed in winning but only by a small amount.

Delegates have voted by a narrow majority in favour of considering electoral reform.

Derived words:

narrowly ADV
She narrowly failed to win enough votes...

The People's Party is narrowly behind the Socialists in the polls.

narrowness N-UNCOUNT usu N of n
The narrowness of the government's victory reflected deep division within the Conservative Party.

7) ADJ-GRADED: ADJ n If you have a narrow escape, something unpleasant nearly happens to you.

Two police officers had a narrow escape when separatists attacked their vehicles.

Derived words:

narrowly ADV-GRADED ADV with v
Five firemen narrowly escaped death when a staircase collapsed beneath their feet.

narrowness N-UNCOUNT usu N of n
If he was shaken by the narrowness of his recent escape he showed no signs of it.

8) on the straight and narrow → see straight

Phrasal Verbs:

- narrow down

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Synonyms:

Of little breadth, Contract / Contracted, circumscribed, limited, confined, straitened, cramped, pinched, scanty, incapacious, Cramp, restrict, limit, confine / Limited, straitened, pinched, scanty / Bigoted / Ungenerous, parsimonious, covetous, mercenary, illiberal, avaricious, niggardly, mean, selfish / Close, near / Close, near, accurate, scrutinizing, careful, exact, attentive

Look at other dictionaries:

Narrow — Nar row (n[a^]r r[ o]), a. [Compar. {Narrower} (n[a^]r r[ o]*[ e]r); superl. {Narrowest}.] [OE. narwe, naru, AS. nearu; akin to OS. naru, naro.] 1. Of little breadth; not wide or broad; having little distance from side to side; as, a narrow… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Narrow — may refer to: In biology: Narrow lined puffer, ray finned fish Narrow leafed Ash, species of ash native to central and southern Europe, northwest Africa, and southwest Asia In music: The Narrow, rock band from South Africa The Narrow Way ,… … Wikipedia
narrow — [nar′ō, ner′ō] adj. [ME narwe < OE nearu, akin to MDu nare, OS naru < IE base * (s)ner , to turn, twist > SNARE, Gr narkē, stupor] 1. small in width as compared to length; esp., less wide than is customary, standard, or expected; not… … English World dictionary
narrow — [adj1] confined, restricted attenuated, circumscribed, close, compressed, confining, constricted, contracted, cramped, definite, determinate, exclusive, exiguous, fine, fixed, incapacious, limited, linear, meager, near, paltry, pent, pinched,… … New thesaurus
narrow — ► ADJECTIVE (narrower, narrowest) 1) of small width in comparison to length. 2) limited in extent, amount, or scope. 3) barely achieved: a narrow escape. ► VERB 1) become or make narrower. 2) … English terms dictionary
Narrow — Nar row, n.; pl. {Narrows}. A narrow passage; esp., a contracted part of a stream, lake, or sea; a strait connecting two bodies of water; usually in the plural; as, The Narrows of New York harbor. [1913 Webster] Near the island lay on one side… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Narrow — Nar row, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Narrowed}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Narrowing}.] [AS. nearwian.] 1. To lessen the breadth of; to contract; to draw into a smaller compass; to reduce the width or extent of. Sir W. Temple. [1913 Webster] 2. To contract the… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Narrow — bezeichnet unter anderem: Narrow banking, das Denkmodell eines Bankwesens Narrow Margin – 12 Stunden Angst, ein Spielfilm von 1990 Narrowboat, ein Bootstyp Siehe auch: Narrows Creek Narrows Island … Deutsch Wikipedia
narrow — I adjective attenuated, bigoted, circumscribed, compressed, confined, contracted, contractus, cramped, defined, dogmatic, exact, fanatical, fine, illiberal, incapacious, intolerant, limited, literal, narrow minded, opinionated, parochial, pinched … Law dictionary
narrow — narrow, narrow minded *illiberal, intolerant, bigoted, hidebound Analogous words: rigorous, *rigid, strict, stringent: obdurate, *inflexible, inexorable: provincial, parochial, local, smalltown, *insular Antonyms: broad, broad minded Contrasted… … New Dictionary of Synonyms
Narrow — Nar row, v. i. 1. To become less broad; to contract; to become narrower; as, the sea narrows into a strait. [1913 Webster] 2. (Man.) Not to step out enough to the one hand or the other; as, a horse narrows. Farrier s Dict. [1913 Webster] 3.… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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