tide means the daily fluctuation in the level of the sea caused by the gravitational influence of the moon and the sun. It carries an Arena rating of 1509, earned across 4 head-to-head judged battles.
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, tide ranks #155 of 17,123 for Most Malleable Words, #586 of 17,111 for Most Sublime Words, #898 of 17,130 for Most Ingenious Words, #1,358 of 17,113 for Most Elegant Words.
tide is pronounced /taɪd/.
Why “tide” is a great word
The periodic rise and fall of sea level caused by the gravitational attraction of the moon and sun. From Middle English tide, from Old English tīd ("time, period, season"), from Proto-Germanic *tīdiz ("time"), from Proto-Indo-European *déh₂itis ("time"), from *deh₂y- ("to divide, share"); the sense of 'periodic sea movement' developed in Middle English from the general concept of a fixed time. Unlike a current, which is the lateral rush of water, or a single wave, a transient crest born of wind, a tide is the vertical, measured breath of the ocean itself—the vast, muscular pull that scours the harbor floor bare and then floats the grounded skiff; the rhythmic flooding of the salt marsh; the patient, twice-daily erasure and redrawing of the world’s edge. It is time made visible, measurable, and indifferent.
Etymology
From Middle English tiden, tide, from Old English tīdan (“to happen”).
noun
- The daily fluctuation in the level of the sea caused by the gravitational influence of the moon and the sun.e.g.“The Bristol Channel has some of the world's largest tides.”
- The associated flow of water.e.g.“A lot of driftwood was brought in on the tide.”
- Any similar gravitational effect on Earth or other body.e.g.“As well as sea tides, there are much smaller land tides.”
- A high-volume flow, literal or figurative; a current or flood.e.g.“The sewer burst, and a tide of sewage poured into nearby properties.”
- The tendency or direction of causes, influences, or events; course; current.e.g.“The tide of public opinion has turned.”
- Time, notably anniversary, period or season linked to an ecclesiastical feast.e.g.“[...] and rest their weary limbs a tide.”
- A time.e.g.“The doctor's no good this tide.”
- A point or period of time identified or described by a qualifier.e.g.“Eventide, noontide, morrowtide, nighttide, moontide, harvesttide, wintertide, summertide, springtide, autumntide etc.”
- The period of twelve hours.
verb
- To cause to float with the tide; to drive or carry with the tide or stream.e.g.“They are tided down the stream.”
- To carry over or through a problem or difficulty.
- To pour a tide or flood.e.g.“The ocean tided most impressively.”
- To work into or out of a river or harbor by drifting with the tide and anchoring when it becomes adverse.
- To happen, occur.e.g.“I wit not what may tide us here”