Politically, she tends to 'go against the tide' on her college campus. [=she tends to have different political opinions than most people on her college campus]
He became involved in social issues at the 'high tide' of the civil rights movement. [=at the most active and important time of the civil rights movement]
The team was on a losing streak, but then 'the tide turned' [=their luck changed] and they went on to win the championship.
(..) A bird will fall frozen dead from a bough... without ever having felt sorry for itself. The ebb and flow of the Atlantic tides, the drift of the continents, the very position of the sun along its ecliptic. These are just a few of the things I control in my world. (..)1997 G.I. Jane
(..) - If they have wounded, they might be inclined to stay put. Wait till the new bird comes into L.O.S. But they also know the tides are slipping out under their recovery sub. They'll hump their wounded out. They'll reach this plateau in ten minutes. Make that nine now. We can't switch the net, sir. (..)1997 G.I. Jane