1.
to tighten; to pull tight; to firm up
To make something physically tighter or more toned, such as muscles or a body.
体を引き締めたい。
I want to tone my body.
このクリームは肌を引き締める効果がある。
This cream has a skin-tightening effect.
毎朝ジョギングをして、少しずつ体を引き締めている。
I jog every morning and am gradually toning my body.
2.
to brace oneself; to tighten discipline; to buckle down
To adopt a more serious, focused attitude. Often used about mental or organizational discipline.
気を引き締めて頑張ろう。
Let's buckle down and do our best.
試合前に監督が選手たちの気持ちを引き締めた。
Before the match, the coach braced the players' spirits.
新年度を迎えるにあたり、財政を引き締める方針が発表された。
A policy to tighten finances was announced ahead of the new fiscal year.
引き締める is a transitive ichidan verb. It is a compound of 引く (to pull) and 締める (to tighten).
ASPECT (ている):
引き締めている indicates an ongoing process of tightening, or a resulting toned/disciplined state.
PARTICLE PATTERNS:
- [object]を引き締める (to tighten something)
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 体を引き締める (to tone one's body)
- 気を引き締める (to brace oneself, to get serious)
- 財政を引き締める (to tighten finances)
- 表情を引き締める (to set one's expression firmly)
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 引き締める: to tighten, to tone (emphasizes pulling tight)
- 締める: to tighten, to close (simpler, more general)
- 緩める: to loosen (antonym)