Posted by R. Berg on August 30, 2007
In Reply to: Re: Tighten his jaw posted by ESC on August 30, 2007
: : What does someone exactly do, if he "tightens his jaw"?
: : The context is a lecture, the man giving the speech is quite tired of it already.
: : "He tightened his jaw, coughed and drew himself up one last time"
: It is an indication that he is determined, resolute.
Incidentally, it's not a metaphor. It means he contracted the muscles around his jaw joints, like making a fist. ~rb