tide

tide

tide¹ [tīd]

n.

[ME, tide, time, season < OE tid, time; akin to Ger zeit < IE * dī-, var. of base * da(i)-, to part, divide up > TIME, Sans dāti, (he) cuts off, Gr dēmos, district, people]

1. Obs. a period of time: now only in combination [Eastertide, eventide]

2. [prob. infl. by MLowG or MDu]

a) the alternate rise and fall of the surface of oceans, seas, and the bays, rivers, etc. connected with them, caused by the attraction of the moon and sun: it may occur twice in each period of 24 hours and 50 minutes, which is the time of one rotation of the earth with respect to the moon: see also FLOOD TIDE, SPRING TIDE

b) FLOOD TIDE

3. something that rises and falls like the tide

4. a stream, current, etc. or trend, tendency, etc. [the tide of public opinion]

5. the period during which something is at its highest or fullest point

6. Archaic an opportune time or occasion

adj.

TIDAL

vi.

tided, tiding

1. to flow or surge like a tide

2. Naut. to drift with the tide, esp. in moving into or out of a harbor, river, etc.

vt.

to carry with or as with the tide

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tide over

to help along temporarily, as through a period of difficulty

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turn the tide

to reverse a condition

tide² [tīd]

vt.

tided, tiding [ME tiden < OE tidan < tid: see TIDE¹]

Archaic to betide; happen