But first with narrow search I must walk round This garden, and no
corner leave unspied.
Milton.
8. (Phon.) 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; as (ve) and (fd),
etc., from (ll) and (ft), etc. See Guide to Pronunciation, § 13.
Narrow is not unfrequently prefixed to words, especially to participles
and adjectives, forming compounds of obvious signification; as,
narrow-bordered, narrow- brimmed, narrow-breasted, narrow-edged,
narrow- faced, narrow-headed, narrow-leaved, narrow- pointed,
narrow-souled, narrow-sphered, etc.
Narrow gauge. (Railroad) See Note under Gauge, n., 6.
Nar"row (?), n.; pl. Narrows (&?;). A narrow passage; esp., a
contracted part of a stream, lake, or sea; a strait connecting two
bodies of water; -- usually in the plural; as, The Narrows of New York
harbor.
Near the island lay on one side the jaws of a dangerous narrow.
Gladstone.
Nar"row, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Narrowed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Narrowing.]
[AS. nearwian.] 1. To lessen the breadth of; to contract; to draw into
a smaller compass; to reduce the width or extent of. Sir W. Temple.
2. To contract the reach or sphere of; to make less liberal or more
selfish; to limit; to confine; to restrict; as, to narrow one's views
or knowledge; to narrow a question in discussion.
Our knowledge is much more narrowed if we confine ourselves to our
own solitary reasonings.