belt-tightenern.
/ˈbɛltˌtʌɪtn̩ə/, /ˈbɛltˌtʌɪtnə/, U.S. /ˈbɛltˌtaɪtn̩ər/, /ˈbɛltˌtaɪtnər/ 1. A mechanism, component, etc., used for tightening a machine belt.
ΘΚΠ
society > occupation and work > equipment > machine > parts of machines > mechanism > [noun] > other specific mechanisms
stop?1523
clockwork1652
sector1715
rackwork1755
scapement1789
scape1798
safety catch1827
controller1836
dog1840
Geneva stop1841
Maltese cross1852
throw-off1852
gearhead1869
tripper1870
Scotch yoke1880
Geneva movement1881
belt-tightener1882
watch1882
selector1890
Geneva wheel1891
throw-out1894
Geneva motion1897
horse-geara1899
Geneva mechanism1903
safety catch1904
Geneva drive1913
Geneva1919
Possum1961
1882 Cent. Mag. May 158/1 From the counter-shaft is taken another belt to the axle of the driving-wheel, and over this belt is a belt-tightener, controlled by a hand-screw in the cab.
1891 Electr. Engineer 21 Oct. 454/1 Each belt tightener consists of a heavy upright cast iron frame.
1943 Sci. & Mech. Spring 60/1 For a clutch I used a belt tightener..which was hinged from the motor base on a shaft formerly occupied by the kick starter.
2010 Weekly Times (Austral.) (Nexis) 27 Oct. 78 Belt slippage is kept to a minimum thanks to a belt tightener.
2.
a. A person who tries to reduce his or her expenditure; one hired, elected, or appointed to introduce (rigorous) economies. Also: a policy, measure, etc., intended to achieve a reduction in expenditure; an economy. Cf. belt n.1 Phrases 3b.In quot. 1944: a factor causing or necessitating the reduction of expenditure.Now the main sense.
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the mind > possession > retaining > sparingness or frugality > [noun] > sparing or frugal person
sparerc1440
saver1548
economist1669
husbandman1711
economizer1834
frugalist1864
belt-tightener1944
1944 Evening Capital (Annapolis, Maryland) 4 Aug. 4/5 The family goes on blithely in the face of rationing, reduced finances, unpatriotic friends and other wartime belt-tighteners.
1961 Nevada State Jrnl. 1 Mar. 11/2 A price that may seem pretty hair-splitting to the compulsive belt-tighteners.
1978 W. Blanding Blanding's Pract. Physical Distribution (1982) vi. 67 (heading) Belt-tighteners for hard times.
1990 Herald (Austral.) (Nexis) 7 Aug. There is still this month's State Budget to come—a real belt-tightener that is expected to slash 10,000 jobs from the public payroll.
1992 Mountain Democrat (Placerville, Calif.) 31 Dec. a2/1 Every county department was cut back to below 1991-92 costs..according to..the county's principal belt-tightener.
2013 Liverpool Post (Nexis) 21 Mar. 5 George Osborne will not go down in history as a giveaway Chancellor but as a passionate belt-tightener.
b. A person who staves off, bears, or puts up with hunger pangs. Cf. belt n.1 Phrases 3a. rare.
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1967 Boys' Life Sept. 5/3 They realize that if the world food shortage grows too critical, their generation will all become belt-tighteners.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2017; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
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n.1882