1
general::
Phrase(s): *tight as a drum
1. stretched tight. (*Also: as ~.) • Julia stretched the upholstery fabric over the seat of the chair until it was as tight as a drum. • The skin on his scalp is tight as a drum. 2. sealed tight. (*Also: as ~.) • Now that I’ve caulked all the windows, the house should be tight as a drum. • Your butterf ly died because the jar is as tight as a drum. 3. and *tight as Midas’s fist very stingy. (*Also: as ~.) • He won’t contribute a cent. He’s as tight as a drum. • Old Mr. Robinson is tight as Midas’s fist. Won’t spend money on anything.
McGrawhill's American Idioms And Phrasal Verbs
2
general::
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 drumshaped container, such as an oil drum, which had to be well sealed to prevent leaks, and the expression then signified "watertight."
American Heritage Idioms