Narrow Meaning
Narrow Definition & Usage
Having a small width in relation to length or height; not wide.
Examples
- "The hallway was so narrow that only one person could walk through at a time."
- "He struggled to fit his car through the narrow alley."
- "The river became narrower as we went upstream."
- "A narrow bridge spanned the river, barely wide enough for a single car."
- "She squeezed through a narrow opening between two buildings."
Limited or restricted in scope, extent, or perspective.
Examples
- "His narrow viewpoint prevented him from understanding the full picture."
- "She had a narrow interest in art, focusing only on landscapes."
- "The job offers were narrow, with only a few positions available in the company."
- "He followed a narrow path of thinking that didn't allow for alternative solutions."
- "The narrow range of options left them feeling frustrated."
To make something narrower or more constrained.
Examples
- "The road was narrowed after the construction to accommodate more parking spaces."
- "They narrowed the search results by using additional filters."
- "The company decided to narrow its focus to just one product line."
- "Her thoughts began to narrow as she concentrated on the problem."
- "The river narrowed significantly as it flowed into a canyon."
Cultural Context
The word 'narrow' has Old English and Old Norse roots, reflecting both the literal and figurative sense of restriction. In English, it has been used to describe confined spaces, both in physical and metaphorical senses. The word often appears in literature, geography, and discussions about personal or societal limitations.
The Narrow Path
Story
The Narrow Path
Lily stood at the edge of the cliff, gazing down at the narrow path leading through the dense forest. The air was thick with the scent of pine and earth, but she felt a sense of unease as she considered the journey ahead. She had heard stories about this trail—the way it seemed to narrow with every step, forcing those who walked it to make difficult decisions about which way to go. It wasn’t just physically tight; it had a way of narrowing your mind, making you focus only on the immediate. It felt as though the world outside the path simply ceased to exist. As she began to walk, the path seemed to close in, the trees growing closer together, the ground beneath her feet more uneven. She could hear the wind whispering through the leaves, but her thoughts were so focused on staying balanced that it was hard to think about anything else. A few minutes in, she stopped to take a breath. The trail was so narrow now that there was barely enough room for her to pass without brushing the trees on either side. She had thought of turning back at first, but something inside her urged her to press on. She was determined to see the end of this narrow journey, both literally and figuratively. The trail mirrored the path of her life—a series of decisions that had, over time, narrowed her options, forcing her to choose only the most important things. As she moved forward, her steps grew more cautious, and her mind narrowed to just the task at hand. The distractions of her life seemed to fade away. Her focus became sharper, her determination stronger. But the further she walked, the more she realized that this wasn’t just about physical narrowness. It was a test of her resolve, her willingness to commit to a decision and follow it through. The path, in all its narrowness, was teaching her something valuable: the beauty of focus and commitment. By the time Lily reached the end of the trail, the trees had opened up, revealing a breathtaking view of the valley below. The journey had narrowed her options, her thoughts, but in the end, it had led her to something more expansive: clarity, peace, and a sense of accomplishment. The narrow path, it seemed, had widened her world in ways she hadn’t expected.
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