be tightened

[bi ˈtaɪtənd]
verb
ser apertado
1. to become tight or tighter; to have pressure or tension applied
The screws need to be tightened before assembly.
Os parafusos precisam ser apertados antes da montagem.
2. to be made more strict or rigorous; to have restrictions increased
Security measures will be tightened at the airport.
As medidas de segurança serão apertadas no aeroporto.
3. to be made more concise or compact
The budget will be tightened this fiscal year.
O orçamento será apertado este ano fiscal.
In Brazilian Portuguese, 'ser apertado' is commonly used in both technical contexts (construction, mechanics) and figurative contexts (budget restrictions, security policies). The phrase 'apertar os parafusos' (tighten the screws) is a well-known idiom meaning to increase pressure or enforcement.
Synonyms / Sinônimos
be securedbe fastenedbe restrictedbe constrainedbe made stricter
Antonyms / Antônimos
be loosenedbe relaxedbe slackenedbe easedbe released

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
ser apertado
most common usage in everyday language
São Paulo
ser apertado
standard usage in business and formal contexts
Rio de Janeiro
ser apertado
used with similar frequency as in other regions
Portugal
ser apertado
identical usage; European Portuguese uses same translation

Related Words

tightentighttensionsecurefasten

Related Idioms & Phrases

tighten one's belt (economize)
tighten the screws (increase pressure or restrictions)
tighten up (improve performance or standards)
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