Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary - narrow

(narrower, narrowest, narrows, narrowing, narrowed) Frequency: The word is one of the 1500 most common words in English. 1. 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. ? wide ADJ • narrowness ...the narrowness of the river mouth. N-UNCOUNT: usu N of n 2. If something narrows, it becomes less wide. The wide track narrows before crossing another stream. VERB: V 3. 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?’... He paused and narrowed his eyes in concentration. ? widen VERB: V, V n 4. 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 ...a narrow and outdated view of family life... = limited ? broad ADJ c darkgreen]disapproval • narrowly They’re making judgments based on a narrowly focused vision of the world. ADV: ADV after v, ADV -ed/adj • narrowness ...the narrowness of their mental and spiritual outlook. N-UNCOUNT: usu N of n 5. 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... Senate negotiators further narrowed their differences over the level of federal spending for anti-drug programs. ? widen VERB: V, V n • narrowing ...a narrowing of the gap between rich members and poor. N-SING 6. 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. ADJ: usu ADJ n • narrowly She narrowly failed to win enough votes... ADV • narrowness The narrowness of the government’s victory reflected deep division within the Party. N-UNCOUNT: usu N of n 7. If you have a narrow escape, something unpleasant nearly happens to you. Two police officers had a narrow escape when separatists attacked their vehicles. ADJ: ADJ n • narrowly Five firemen narrowly escaped death when a staircase collapsed beneath their feet. ADV: ADV with v 8. on the straight and narrow: see straight