Packed, Drunk, or Miserly: “Tight as a Tick” Depends on the Sense of “Tight”

Hello, you have A Way with Words. Hi, this is Laura Harsh. I’m calling from Tucson, Arizona.

Hey, Laura, welcome to the show. Hi, Laura. Oh, thanks. Hi, how are you? All right.

I have a question. I live in Arizona now. And I mean, previous to that, I was in New York and in California. But I grew up in Virginia. And my grandmother, who was from West Virginia, used to always have this expression called that she would say things were tight as a tick. And, you know, when I was a kid, I never really thought too much of it. But as I got older, it was an expression that I started adopting, I think, because I was not living in Virginia anymore. And people would ask about it and look at me really puzzled. And I’d be like, oh, you know, I think that it actually has something to do with like an engorged tick. And of course, they would get really a little grossed out by that.

But then I started wondering, I’m like, was I only thinking that because I was a kid and that’s how I pictured it? Or is it really more about like the time between a tick, like the tick of a clock? And because she would use it in a way that was like things were tight and close together. So I’m not sure. So I thought I’d ask.

And have you ever had a tick on you, Laura?

I have, but none that were so engorged that they met the description of this.

But you’ve seen him on dogs like that maybe or other animals.

On a dog, yeah, totally.

Yeah, it is the insect. It’s not the clock. It’s not the ticking of a clock. It’s about the, literally the word I would have used, engorged tick. This full, taut body plumped with blood.

Yes, a very disgusting sight, particularly if there are a bunch of them in one location. You just shiver.

Charming.

It charming but yeah I mean I can see that I’ve definitely found some on our dogs when I was growing up you know growing up you know the Chesapeake Bay your dogs we get them and yeah get a little full. I wonder if the expression is not as common in the west because ticks aren’t quite as common in the west although they do exist. But another part of this which interests me is that tight as a tick can be used to refer to someone who is very drunk. I i think it’s faded now and a little bit old-fashioned, but it’s still out there. And another one is the meaning of tight as in miserly. So you can say somebody is tight as a tick if they are very reluctant to spend money.

Oh, interesting. Yeah, all of these play on the multiple meanings of tight. Okay, so I wouldn’t be wrong then sometimes if I would use it, the way that she would use it would be if a room was really packed with people, it would be like, oh, it’s tight as a tick in here.

Oh, yeah, that’s fine. Yeah, that’s a great meaning. Tight can mean that, right? Stretchful, well-packed, well-fastened, miserly, drunk. A drunk tick is tight two ways, I guess.

I think tight is a tick for being drunk might have to make a comeback. I’ll have to use it that way sometimes.

I do like that creative idea, Laura, of the instant between the ticks of a clock. It’s really beautiful.

But, yeah, I’m afraid it’s the insect. If the insect grosses people out when you say tight as a tick, there are some other expressions you can use. You can say tight as a duck’s butt, which, of course, is watertight. And you can also say as full as a piper’s bag, referring to the bag of a bagpiper, which is centuries old as well.

Yeah.

Or just tight as a drum.

Tight as a drum.

Oh, yeah, that’s true.

I think I’ll stick with tight as a tick.

Yeah, absolutely.

Respect that heritage.

That’s right.

There you go.

Laura, thank you so much for your time with us. We appreciate it.

Well, thank you for your time.

Have a good day.

Bye-bye.

Bye-bye, Laura.

Bye-bye.

Call us to talk about the linguistic heirlooms in your family. 877-929-9673 or send them to us an email words@waywordradio.org.