tense

¹tense

noun \ˈten(t)s\

Definition of TENSE

1

: a distinction of form in a verb to express distinctions of time or duration of the action or state it denotes

2

a : a set of inflectional forms of a verb that express distinctions of time

b : an inflectional form of a verb expressing a specific time distinction

Examples of TENSE

1. The sentence will read better if you change the tense of the verb.
2. You should avoid changing tense in the middle of a paragraph.

Origin of TENSE

Middle English tens time, tense, from Anglo-French, from Latin tempus

First Known Use: 14th century

²tense

adjective

tens·ertens·est

Definition of TENSE

1

: stretched tight : made taut : rigid <tense muscles>

2

a : feeling or showing nervous tension <a tense smile>

b : marked by strain or suspense <a tense thriller>

3

: produced with the muscles involved in a relatively tense state <the vowels \ē\ and \ü\ in contrast with the vowels \i\ and \u̇\ are tense>

— tense·ly adverb

— tense·ness noun

Examples of TENSE

1. She was feeling pretty tense.
2. Why are you so tense?
3. We sat quietly for a few tense moments.
4. It was a tense meeting.
5. My calf muscles are really tense.

Origin of TENSE

Latin tensus, from past participle of tendere to stretch — more at thin

First Known Use: 1668

Related to TENSE

Synonyms

aflutter, antsy, anxious, atwitter, dithery, edgy, goosey, het up, hinky [slang], hung up, ill at ease, insecure, jittery, jumpy, nervy, perturbed, queasy (also queazy), nervous, troubled, uneasy, unquiet, upset, uptight, worried

Antonyms

calm, collected, cool, easy, happy-go-lucky, nerveless, relaxed

Related Words

aggrieved, bothered, concerned, disquieted, distraught, distressed, disturbed, freaked, freaked-out, shook-up; apprehensive, foreboding, hesitant, misgiving; fretful, fretting, stewing, vexed; qualmish, qualmy; flustered, twittered, undone, unnerved, unstrung; obsessed, preoccupied, restless; fidgety, flighty, fluttery, high-strung, hypertense, skittish, spooky

Near Antonyms

confident, self-assured, self-confident, sure; controlled, self-controlled

Rhymes with TENSE

fence, sense, whence

³tense

verb

tensedtens·ing

Definition of TENSE

transitive verb

: to make tense

intransitive verb

: to become tense <tensed up and missed the putt>

Examples of TENSE

1. She tensed as he walked toward her.
2. He tensed up and missed the putt.

First Known Use of TENSE

1676

Related to TENSE

Synonyms

strain, stretch, tauten, tighten

Antonyms

loosen, slack, slacken

Related Words

elongate, extend, lengthen; cinch, constrict

Near Antonyms

ease, relax

tense

noun    (Concise Encyclopedia)

In grammar, an inflected form of a verb indicating the time of a narrated event in relation to the time at which the narrator is speaking. Time is often perceived as a continuum with three main divisions, past, present, and future, defined in relation to the time when the event is described. Other categories, including mood and aspect, may further specify the action as definite or indefinite, completed or not completed, lasting or nonlasting, and recurring or occurring once.