Library / English Dictionary

TENSE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (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))

 II. (adjective) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Taut or rigid; stretched tight

Example:

tense piano strings

Classified under:

Adjectives

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)

Sense 2

Meaning:

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

Classified under:

Adjectives

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:

In or of a state of physical or nervous tension

Classified under:

Adjectives

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)

 III. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Cause to be tense and uneasy or nervous or anxious

Example:

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

Synonyms:

strain; tense; tense up

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

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)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Become tense, nervous, or uneasy

Example:

He tensed up when he saw his opponent enter the room

Synonyms:

tense; tense up

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

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 3

Meaning:

Increase the tension on

Example:

tense the rope manually before tensing the spring

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

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 4

Meaning:

Become stretched or tense or taut

Example:

the rope strained when the weight was attached

Synonyms:

strain; tense

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

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)

Credits

 Context examples: 

Lizzie knew it for what it was, and her body tensed angrily.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

Vocabulary used to capture the participants' mood included "a list of mood components such as tense, worn out, energetic, confused and lively," explained Abigail Avolio, first author of the study.

(Mental, Not Physical, Fatigue Affects Seniors' Walking Ability, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

The person may be very tense and irritable, and become easily annoyed by small things.

(Agitation, NCI Dictionary)

It can lead children and teenagers to feel tense and afraid.

(Bullying, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

The cricothyroid muscle is innervated by the superior laryngeal nerve's external branch and acts to tense the vocal cords thus altering voice pitch.

(Cricothyroid Muscle, NCI Thesaurus)

"Then what are you going to do?" she demanded again, with a tense, quiet utterance that boded an outbreak.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)

His face became more expectant and tense as he tried to analyze and identify the impression.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

All tense and trembling with eagerness and desire, he mastered his instinct and stood still.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

Does he/she seem very tense or fidgety?

(NPI - Very Nervous, Worried, or Frightened for No Apparent Reason, NCI Thesaurus)

Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI) Does the patient have periods of feeling shaky, unable to relax, or feeling excessively tense?

(NPI - Periods of Feeling Shaky, Unable to Relax, or Feeling Excessively Tense, NCI Thesaurus)