Overview of noun tense

The noun tense has 1 sense

• tense -- (a grammatical category of verbs used to express distinctions of time)

Overview of verb tense

The verb tense has 4 senses

• strain, tense -- (become stretched or tense or taut; "the bodybuilder's neck muscles tensed;" "the rope strained when the weight was attached")


• tense -- (increase the tension on; "alternately relax and tense your calf muscle"; "tense the rope manually before tensing the spring")


• tense, tense up -- (become tense, nervous, or uneasy; "He tensed up when he saw his opponent enter the room")


• tense, strain, tense up -- (cause to be tense and uneasy or nervous or anxious; "he got a phone call from his lawyer that tensed him up")

Overview of adj tense

The adj tense has 3 senses

• tense -- (in or of a state of physical or nervous tension)


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


• tense -- (taut or rigid; stretched tight; "tense piano strings")