Tight-assed
Tight-assed turns up in 2 fields: textiles, shop slang. Here is what it means to the people in each one.
Tight-assed in textiles
Describing a pair of trousers or jeans that fit with zero ease across the seat.
This refers to pants drafted or sewn with insufficient ease in the posterior, causing the fabric to stretch tightly across the buttocks. It often results from a crotch curve that is too shallow or a back rise that is too short for the wearer. While sometimes an intentional style choice, in tailoring it usually indicates a fit defect requiring a pattern adjustment.
"These sample jeans are way too tight-assed, we need to scoop out the back crotch seam by at least half an inch."
Tight-assed in shop slang
Overly strict, rigid, and obsessed with minor rules or details.
Describes a manager, inspector, or coworker who strictly enforces minor regulations and refuses to allow any flexibility. These individuals prioritize exact procedure over practical results. It is a derogatory term used by workers frustrated by a lack of common sense or leniency on the shop floor.
"The new safety officer is so tight-assed he wrote me up for having my safety glasses resting on my hard hat."