Which preposition to use with tightens

on Occurrences 30%

Again the man's hand tightened on the trigger, but he never fired again.

with Occurrences 22%

Her head was up, and her hand, where it hooked into Mr. Batch's elbow, was in a vise that tightened with each block.

about Occurrences 18%

A youth, thewed like an ox, surmounted on a stack of three self provided canned-goods boxes, his in-at-the-waist silhouette thrown out against a sky that was almost ready to break out in stars; a crowd tightening about him.

around Occurrences 13%

The child stirred in her sleep, and her arms tightened around his neck.

in Occurrences 9%

But now of a sudden and as one that dreamed, he beheld a tender face above him with sad-sweet eyes and lips that bent to kiss his brow, felt soft arms about himtender arms that drew his weary head upon a gentle bosom to hide and pillow it there; felt that enfolding embrace tighten and tighten in sudden shuddering spasm, as, sighing, the lady Abbess's white-clad arms fell away and her proud head sank beside his in the dust.

at Occurrences 8%

" I turned cold under the blow, but Washington did not move a muscle, only his mouth seemed to tighten at the corners.

to Occurrences 3%

Then the mainsail came down on the run, and was furled and fastened by the time she had tightened to her double hawsers.

like Occurrences 3%

There was an irregular trembling of the boat as the anchor struggled along the bottom of the canal; then there was a great shock; the boat ran into the bank and stopped; the tow-line was tightened like a guitar-string, and the horse, jerked back with great violence, came tumbling in a heap upon the ground.

under Occurrences 2%

There are in the first place cross-chains, tightening under pressure, which may be drawn across the bows of a ship that threatens to become unmanageable.

over Occurrences 2%

she asked slowly, and as if her chest tightened over the words.

into Occurrences 2%

"Oh, boy," she said"Edwin!"holding to his forearm with fingers that tightened into it.

for Occurrences 2%

His hand tightened for a moment upon hers.

across Occurrences 1%

In the course of fifteen or twenty minutes we noticed that the flappings of the canvas were getting shorter and shorter, and that it seemed to be tightening across our bodies, and upon making an effort to get out we found that we were fastened down.

between Occurrences 1%

If I let the rope tighten between me and Petrak, Thirkle prodded me with the point of a knife, and, as I was faint with hunger and thirst, and utterly worn out, I frequently stumbled and fell, when they both set upon me and beat me to my feet.

from Occurrences 1%

The victim is seated on a scaffold, his head leaning against a beam and his neck grasped by an iron collar, which the executioner suddenly tightens from behind by means of a screw.

round Occurrences 1%

'All of them,' cried the envoy, as the cord tightened round the Marshal's neck.

until Occurrences 1%

For baby's sake I wish we'd gone too; but now,"her arms crept around his neck, closed,"but nownow it's too late!" For a long minute, and another, the man did not stir but involuntarily his arms had tightened until, had she wished, the woman could not have turned.

as Occurrences 1%

She made a sharp movement to free herself, and the blush she had so valiantly resisted flamed over face and neck as she felt his hold tighten as sharply, and heard him laugh at her impotence.

Which preposition to use with  tightens