tense
tense Lexical Profile
tense Game Scores & Validity
• adjective
Unable to relax because of nervousness, anxiety, or emotional strain; feeling or showing mental stress.
"She felt tense as she waited in the lobby for her job interview to begin."
Stretched tight or rigid; not slack or loose (especially of a muscle, rope, or cord).
"A soothing massage helped relieve the tense muscles in his shoulders."
Characterized by suspense, friction, or barely suppressed hostility (of a situation, atmosphere, or relationship).
"Negotiations between the two boards remained tense throughout the afternoon."
Produced with a relatively high degree of muscular effort in the vocal tract and tongue (of a speech sound, especially a vowel).
"In English phonetics, the vowel sound in 'beat' is classified as tense compared to the vowel in 'bit'."
• noun
A grammatical category or set of inflectional forms of a verb that indicates the time (such as past, present, or future) of the action or state expressed.
"Students learning a new language often practice conjugating verbs in the past tense."
• verb
To make or become tight, rigid, or contracted (especially of muscles or the body).
"He instinctively tensed his shoulders against the sudden blast of cold wind."
To become anxious, nervous, or mentally strained in response to stress or anticipation.
"The entire audience tensed as the acrobat stepped onto the high wire."
Word Nuance & Usage
'Tense' represents two etymologically distinct homonyms: the grammatical noun derives from Old French 'tens' (from Latin 'tempus', meaning time), whereas the adjective and verb meaning stretched or anxious derive directly from Latin 'tensus' (past participle of 'tendere', to stretch).
• Rhymes for tense
Word Origin & Etymology
The grammatical noun enters Middle English from Old French 'tens', from Latin 'tempus' ('time'). The adjective and verb were borrowed in the 17th century directly from Latin 'tensus', the past participle of 'tendere' ('to stretch').