tide

plural tides

1. The daily fluctuation in the level of the sea caused by the gravitational influence of the moon and the sun.

   The Bristol Channel has some of the world's largest tides.

2. The associated flow of water.

   A lot of driftwood was brought in on the tide.

   1 more example

   We can cross to the island when the tide is out, but it won't move out until around five o'clock.

3. Any similar gravitational effect on Earth or other body.

   As well as sea tides, there are much smaller land tides.

   1 more example

   By far the largest tides on Europa are those caused by the gravitational attraction of Jupiter.

4. A high-volume flow, literal or figurative; a current or flood.

   We've encountered a tide of problems.

   3 more examples

   The sewer burst, and a tide of sewage poured into nearby properties.

   A tide of people crossed over the border.

   Go I charge thee, inuite them all, let in the tide / Of Knaues once more: my Cook and Ile provide.

   c. 1605–1608 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Life of Tymon of Athens”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene iv], page 88, column 1

   Synonyms: inflood, inflooding, inflow, inflowing, influx

5. figurativelyThe tendency or direction of causes, influences, or events; course; current.

   The tide of public opinion has turned.

   4 more examples

   There is a tide in the affairs of men, / Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune […]

   1599 (first performance), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Iulius Cæsar”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene iii]

   This is the crap our children are learning / But oh, oh, oh, the tide is turning

   1987, Roger Waters, “The Tide Is Turning”, in Radio K.A.O.S.

   Can't you see that the tide is turning

   1988, Eddy Grant, “Gimme Hope Jo'anna”

   Ahead of a summit on Thursday evening in Brussels, the European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, said the tide was turning.

   2026 June 18, Peter Beaumont, Pjotr Sauer, Jennifer Rankin, “Moscow oil refinery struck in Ukraine’s biggest air raid on city since start of war”, in The Guardian, →ISSN

6. obsoleteexcept in liturgychronologyTime, notably anniversary, period or season linked to an ecclesiastical feast.

   at the tide / Of Christ his birth

   1655, Thomas Fuller, The Church-history of Britain from the Birth of Jesus Christ until the year MDCXLVIII

   3 more examples

   [...] and rest their weary limbs a tide.

   1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book I, Canto II”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, stanza xxix

   Which, at th'appointed tyde, / Each one did make his Bryde

   1596, Edmund Spenser, Prothalamion

   What is singular too, the spademen seem to work lazily; they will not work double-tides, even for offer of more wages, though their tide is but seven hours[.]

   1837, Thomas Carlyle, The French Revolution: A History […], volume (please specify |volume=I to III), London: Chapman and Hall, →OCLC, (please specify the book or page number)

7. archaicregionalA time.

   The doctor's no good this tide.

8. archaicin compoundsregionalA point or period of time identified or described by a qualifier.

   Eventide, noontide, morrowtide, nighttide, moontide, harvesttide, wintertide, summertide, springtide, autumntide etc.

9. businessThe period of twelve hours.

present singular third person tides · participle present tiding · participle past tided · past tided

1. transitiveTo cause to float with the tide; to drive or carry with the tide or stream.

   They are tided down the stream.

   1623, Owen Feltham, Resolves: Divine, Moral, Political

2. broadlyTo carry over or through a problem or difficulty.
3. intransitiverareTo pour a tide or flood.

   The ocean tided most impressively.

4. intransitivenauticalTo work into or out of a river or harbor by drifting with the tide and anchoring when it becomes adverse.

present singular third person tides · participle present tiding · participle past tided · past tided

1. intransitiveobsoleteTo happen, occur.

   I wit not what may tide us here

   1779, David Dalrymple, Annals of Scotland, volume II, page 121

   Synonyms: betide, befall