TENSE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does tense mean? 

• TENSE (noun)
  The noun TENSE has 1 sense:

1. a grammatical category of verbs used to express distinctions of time

  Familiarity information: TENSE used as a noun is very rare.

• TENSE (adjective)
  The adjective TENSE has 3 senses:

1. in or of a state of physical or nervous tension

2. pronounced with relatively tense tongue muscles (e.g., the vowel sound in 'beat')

3. taut or rigid; stretched tight

  Familiarity information: TENSE used as an adjective is uncommon.

• TENSE (verb)
  The verb TENSE has 4 senses:

1. become stretched or tense or taut

2. increase the tension on

3. become tense, nervous, or uneasy

4. cause to be tense and uneasy or nervous or anxious

  Familiarity information: TENSE used as a verb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• TENSE (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A grammatical category of verbs used to express distinctions of time

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Hypernyms ("tense" is a kind of...):

grammatical category; syntactic category ((grammar) a category of words having the same grammatical properties)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "tense"):

present; present tense (a verb tense that expresses actions or states at the time of speaking)

aorist (a verb tense in some languages (classical Greek and Sanskrit) expressing action (especially past action) without indicating its completion or continuation)

past; past tense (a verb tense that expresses actions or states in the past)

future; future tense (a verb tense that expresses actions or states in the future)

continuous tense; imperfect; imperfect tense; progressive; progressive tense (a tense of verbs used in describing action that is on-going)

perfect; perfect tense; perfective; perfective tense (a tense of verbs used in describing action that has been completed (sometimes regarded as perfective aspect))

• TENSE (adjective)

Comparative: tenser   
Superlative: tensest   

Sense 1

Meaning:

In or of a state of physical or nervous tension

Similar:

pumped; pumped-up; pumped up; wired (tense with excitement and enthusiasm as from a rush of adrenaline)

unrelaxed (nor relaxed)

strained (showing signs of mental and emotional tension)

nervous (easily agitated)

isotonic (of two or more muscles; having equal tension)

electric ((of a situation) exceptionally tense)

edgy; high-strung; highly strung; jittery; jumpy; nervy; overstrung; restive; uptight (being in a tense state)

antsy; fidgety; fretful; itchy (nervous and unable to relax)

taut (subjected to great tension; stretched tight)

cliff-hanging; nail-biting; suspenseful; suspensive ((of a situation) characterized by or causing suspense)

aroused; wound up (brought to a state of great tension)

Also:

uneasy (lacking a sense of security or affording no ease or reassurance)

agitated (troubled emotionally and usually deeply)

Antonym:

relaxed (without strain or anxiety)

Derivation:

tenseness ((psychology) a state of mental or emotional strain or suspense)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Pronounced with relatively tense tongue muscles (e.g., the vowel sound in 'beat')

Similar:

constricted (especially tense; especially in some dialects)

Domain category:

phonetics (the branch of acoustics concerned with speech processes including its production and perception and acoustic analysis)

Antonym:

lax (pronounced with muscles of the tongue and jaw relatively relaxed (e.g., the vowel sound in 'bet'))

Sense 3

Meaning:

Taut or rigid; stretched tight

Context example:

tense piano strings

Similar:

taut; tight (pulled or drawn tight)

overstrung (too tightly strung)

Also:

tight (closely constrained or constricted or constricting)

Antonym:

lax (lacking in firmness or tension; not taut)

Derivation:

tenseness; tensity (the physical condition of being stretched or strained)

• TENSE (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they tense    ... he / she / it tenses   
Past simple: tensed   
Past participle: tensed   
-ing form: tensing   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Become stretched or tense or taut

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

strain; tense

Context example:

the rope strained when the weight was attached

Hypernyms (to "tense" is one way to...):

tighten (become tight or tighter)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Derivation:

tension (the action of stretching something tight)

tension ((physics) a stress that produces an elongation of an elastic physical body)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Increase the tension on

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Context example:

tense the rope manually before tensing the spring

Hypernyms (to "tense" is one way to...):

alter; change; modify (cause to change; make different; cause a transformation)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Derivation:

tension (the action of stretching something tight)

tension ((physics) a stress that produces an elongation of an elastic physical body)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Become tense, nervous, or uneasy

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Synonyms:

tense; tense up

Context example:

He tensed up when he saw his opponent enter the room

Hypernyms (to "tense" is one way to...):

change state; turn (undergo a transformation or a change of position or action)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s
Somebody's (body part) ----s

Antonym:

relax (become less tense, rest, or take one's ease)

Derivation:

tension (the physical condition of being stretched or strained)

tensor (any of several muscles that cause an attached structure to become tense or firm)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Cause to be tense and uneasy or nervous or anxious

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Synonyms:

strain; tense; tense up

Context example:

he got a phone call from his lawyer that tensed him up

Hypernyms (to "tense" is one way to...):

affect (act physically on; have an effect upon)

Cause:

tense; tense up (become tense, nervous, or uneasy)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "tense"):

extend; stretch (extend one's limbs or muscles, or the entire body)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s somebody

Antonym:

relax (cause to feel relaxed)

Derivation:

tension (the physical condition of being stretched or strained)

 Context examples 

“Gee!” Thornton’s voice rang out, sharp in the tense silence.

(The Call of the Wild, by Jack London)

A question about whether an individual feels or felt tense.

(Feel Tense due to Mouth Problems, NCI Thesaurus)

A question about whether an individual feels or has felt tense.

(Feel Tense, NCI Thesaurus)

A powerful, temporary tensing of the uterine muscles that is stronger than previously felt movements.

(Intense Uterine Contraction, NCI Thesaurus)

His features became tense and alert.

(His Last Bow, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) I feel tense or 'wound up.'

(HADS - I Feel Tense or Wound Up, NCI Thesaurus)

A person with anxiety may sweat, feel restless and tense, and have a rapid heart beat.

(Anxiety, NCI Dictionary)

You will soon make an important financial decision, but arriving there seems to be making you tense.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

His whole face sharpened away into nose and chin, and the skin of his cheeks was drawn quite tense over his outstanding bones.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Holmes’s face grew tense with anxiety.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)