Tra từ narrow - Từ điển Oxford Advanced Learner 8th

nar·row [narrow narrows narrowed narrowing narrower narrowest] adjective, verb BrE [ˈnærəʊ] NAmE [ˈnæroʊ]
adjective (nar·row·er, nar·row·est)
1. measuring a short distance from one side to the other, especially in relation to length
•narrow streets
•a narrow bed/doorway/shelf
•narrow shoulders/hips
• There was only a narrow gap between the bed and the wall.
• (figurative)the narrow confines of prison life
• The road soon became narrower and steeper.
Opp: ↑broad, Opp: ↑wide
2. usually before noun only just achieved or avoided
•a narrow victory
• He lost the race by the narrowest of margins.
• She was elected by a narrow majority.
•He had a narrow escape when his car skidded on the ice.
3. limited in a way that ignores important issues or the opinions of other people
•narrow interests
• She has a very narrow view of the world.
Opp: ↑broad
4. limited in variety or numbers
Syn: ↑restricted
• The shop sells only a narrow range of goods.
•a narrow circle of friends
Opp: ↑wide
5. limited in meaning; exact
• I am using the word ‘education’ in the narrower sense.
Opp: ↑broad
see the straight and narrow at ↑straight _n.

Word Origin:
Old English nearu, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch naar ‘dismal, unpleasant’ and German Narbe ‘scar’. Early senses in English included ‘constricted’ and ‘mean’.

Thesaurus:
narrow adj.
1.
•I love walking down the narrow streets in the old city.
thin • • fine •
Opp: wide, Opp: broad
a narrow/thin/fine crack/strip
narrow/thin shoulders
(a) thin/fine hair/thread/layer
Narrow or thin? Narrow describes sth that is a short distance from side to side; thin describes sth that has a short distance through it from one side to the other:
•a narrow street/bed/gap
✗ a thin street/bed/gap:
•a thin layer/shirt
✗ a narrow layer/shirt
2. usually before noun
•He had a narrow escape when his car skidded on the ice.
close • • near • • hard-fought • |especially BrE marginal •
a narrow/close vote
a narrow/hard-fought win/victory
a narrow/marginal lead
3.
•She only has a narrow circle of friends.
limited • • restricted •
Opp: wide, Opp: broad
narrow/limited/restricted in scope
a narrow/limited/restricted range/scope/vocabulary
(a) narrow/limited objective/horizons

Synonyms:
narrow / thin
These adjectives are frequently used with the following nouns:

Narrow describes something that is a short distance from side to side. Thin describes people, or something that has a short distance through it from one side to the other.
Thin is also used of things that are not as thick as you expect. Narrow can be used with the meanings ‘only just achieved’ and ‘limited’.

Example Bank:
•The pass gets quite narrow towards the east.
•The rear part of the casing is slightly narrower than the front.
•people who are rather narrow in outlook
•He blamed the goalkeeper for the narrow defeat against Ireland.
•He secured a narrow victory in the presidential elections.
•His specialization is too narrow to be of interest to more than a handful of students.
•I found the focus of the debate too narrow.
•I love walking down the narrow streets in the old city.
•I sat next to him on the narrow bed.
•She lost the race by the narrowest of margins.
•She only has a narrow circle of friends.
•She was elected by a narrow majority.
•Teachers feel that the present curriculum is too narrow.
•The exhibition is disappointingly narrow in scope.
•The jacket looked very large across his narrow shoulders.
•The party has a rather narrow political agenda.
Derived Word: ↑narrowness
Derived: ↑narrow something down

verb intransitive, transitive
to become or make sth narrower
• This is where the river narrows.
• The gap between the two teams has narrowed to three points.
•Her eyes narrowed (= almost closed) menacingly.
•His eyes narrowed to slits.
•~ sth He narrowed his eyes at her.
•We need to try and narrow the health divide between rich and poor.
Verb forms:

Word Origin:
Old English nearu, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch naar ‘dismal, unpleasant’ and German Narbe ‘scar’. Early senses in English included ‘constricted’ and ‘mean’.

Example Bank:
•By the final round the gap had narrowed to three votes.
•Her eyes narrowed against the sun.
•Her eyes narrowed in anger.
•Her eyes narrowed slightly as she studied the woman.
•His blue eyes narrowed suspiciously.
•His eyes narrowed with suspicion.
•His eyes suddenly narrowed at the sight of her.
•Lee's eyes narrowed against the harsh glare of the sun.
•Left untreated, the arteries will gradually narrow, restricting the flow of blood.
•The blue eyes narrowed thoughtfully.
•The gap between the candidates has narrowed significantly.
•The gap between the two parties narrowed sharply in the days before the election.
•The river narrows a little here.
•The trade deficit with China narrowed slightly.
•Though her eyes narrowed fractionally, she made no comment.
•This is where the road narrows.
•We need to narrow the health divide between rich and poor.