tight as a drum
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Taut or close-fitting; also, watertight. For example, That baby's eaten so much that the skin on his belly is tight as a drum, or You needn't worry about leaks; this tent is tight as a drum. Originally this expression alluded to the skin of a drumhead, which is tightly stretched, and in the mid-1800s was transferred to other kinds of tautness. Later, however, it sometimes referred to a drum-shaped container, such as an oil drum, which had to be well sealed to prevent leaks, and the expression then signified “watertight.”
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Words nearby tight as a drum
tiger snake, tiger swallowtail, Tiger! Tiger! burning bright, Tiggerish, tight, tight as a drum, tight as a tick, tightass, tight-assed, tighten, tight end
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
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