From Middle English narow, narowe, narewe, narwe, naru, from Old English nearu (“narrow, strait, confined, constricted, not spacious, limited, petty; limited, poor, restricted; oppressive, causing anxiety (of that which restricts free action of body or mind), causing or accompanied by difficulty, hardship, oppressive; oppressed, not having free action; strict, severe”), from Proto-West Germanic *naru, from Proto-Germanic *narwaz (“constricted, narrow”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)ner- (“to turn, bend, twist, constrict”). Cognates Cognate with North Frisian naar, noar, noor, nåår (“narrow”), Saterland Frisian noar (“narrow”), Dutch naar (“nasty, scary; sickening, unpleasant”), Danish and Swedish nor (“narrow strait”); also Sanskrit नृत् (nṛt, “to dance; act on stage, represent”).
Having a small width; not wide; having opposite edges or sides that are close, especially by comparison to length or depth.
a narrow hallway
She was like a Beardsley Salome, he had said. And indeed she had the narrow eyes and the high cheekbone of that creature, and as nearly the sinuosity as is compatible with human symmetry.1921, Ben Travers, chapter 1, in A Cuckoo in the Nest, Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, Page & Company, published 1925, →OCLC:
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Just under the ceiling there were three lunette windows, heavily barred and blacked out in the normal way by centuries of grime. Their bases were on a level with the pavement outside, a narrow way which was several feet lower than the road behind the house.1963, Margery Allingham, chapter 14, in The China Governess: A Mystery, London: Chatto & Windus, →OCLC:
Not long ago, it was difficult to produce photographs of tiny creatures with every part in focus. That’s because the lenses that are excellent at magnifying tiny subjects produce a narrow depth of field. A photo processing technique called focus stacking has changed that.2013 July-August, Catherine Clabby, “Focus on Everything”, in American Scientist, archived from the original on 07 Sep 2013:
2
Of little extent; very limited; circumscribed.
The Jews were but a small nation, and confined to a narrow compass in the world.1675, John Wilkins, Of the Principles and Duties of Natural Religion:
3
Figuratively Restrictive; without flexibility or latitude.
a narrow interpretation
4
Contracted Contracted; of limited scope; bigoted
a narrow mind
narrow views
5
Having a small margin or degree.
a narrow escape
The Republicans won by a narrow majority.
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Although we lost the election by the narrowest of margins, the people of Oregon heard a great deal about education, and particularly about how "look-say" reading instruction was hardshipping Oregon school children.1970, Reading Reform Foundation, The Annual Reading Reform Foundation Conference, page 47:
[…] it is unclear whether the beatings of potential political opponents are a governmentwide strategy or a narrower effort by Mr. Mugabe’s backers to shore up his remaining power.2007 March 29, Michael Wines, “Zimbabwean Leaders Accused of Abducting Opponents”, in The New York Times, archived from the original on 22 Jun 2020:
As in their narrow defeat of Argentina last week, England were indisciplined at the breakdown, and if Georgian fly-half Merab Kvirikashvili had remembered his kicking boots, Johnson's side might have been behind at half-time.2011 September 18, Ben Dirs, “Rugby World Cup 2011: England 41-10 Georgia”, in BBC Sport, archived from the original on 27 Nov 2021:
a very narrow […] and stinted charitya. 1719, George Smalridge, The Hopes of a Recompense from Men must not be our chief Aim in doing Good:
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Scrutinizing in detail; close; accurate; exact.
But first with narrow search I must walk round / This garden, and no corner leave unspied.1667, John Milton, “Book IX”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:
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Human sciences, Linguistics, Phonetics, Phonology, Sciences Formed (as a vowel) by a close position of some part of the tongue in relation to the palate; or (according to Bell) by a tense condition of the pharynx; distinguished from wide.
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Computing, Engineering, Mathematics, Natural sciences, Physical sciences, Sciences Of or supporting only those text characters that can fit into the traditional 8-bit representation.
From Middle English narow, narowe, narewe, narwe, naru, from Old English nearu (“narrow, strait, confined, constricted, not spacious, limited, petty; limited, poor, restricted; oppressive, causing anxiety (of that which restricts free action of body or mind), causing or accompanied by difficulty, hardship, oppressive; oppressed, not having free action; strict, severe”), from Proto-West Germanic *naru, from Proto-Germanic *narwaz (“constricted, narrow”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)ner- (“to turn, bend, twist, constrict”). Cognates Cognate with North Frisian naar, noar, noor, nåår (“narrow”), Saterland Frisian noar (“narrow”), Dutch naar (“nasty, scary; sickening, unpleasant”), Danish and Swedish nor (“narrow strait”); also Sanskrit नृत् (nṛt, “to dance; act on stage, represent”).
1
In plural A narrow passage, especially a contracted part of a stream, lake, or sea; a strait connecting two bodies of water.
the narrows of New York harbor
Near the island lay on one side the jaws of a dangerous narrow.1858, William Gladstone, Studies on Homer and the Homeric Age:
narrow
verb
Etymology From Middle English narwen (“to narrow”); see there for more details, but ultimately derived from the noun.
1
To reduce in width or extent; to contract.
We need to narrow the search.
2
To get narrower.
The road narrows.
3
Of a person or eyes To partially lower one's eyelids in a way usually taken to suggest a defensive, aggressive or penetrating look.
He stepped in front of me, narrowing his eyes to slits.
She wagged her finger in his face, and her eyes narrowed.