"to make taut," 1814, from taut + -en (1). Intransitive meaning "become taut" is from 1849. Related: Tautened; tautening.
the rope tautened
tauten a rope
taupe
taurine
tauromachy
Taurus
taut
tauten
tautog
tautology
tavern
taw
tawdry
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