tense
8 ENTRIES FOUND:
tenser;
tensest
tenser;
tensest
Britannica Dictionary definition of TENSE
1
:
nervous and not able to relax
-
She was feeling pretty tense.
-
Why are you so tense?
2
:
showing or causing nervousness
-
a tense situation
-
We sat quietly for a few tense moments.
-
It was a tense meeting.
-
a tense thriller
3
:
not relaxed but hard and tight
-
My calf muscles are really tense.
-
tense muscles
— tensely
adverb-
She looked at him tensely.
-
We sat tensely.
— tenseness
noun [noncount]
2
tense
/ˈtɛns/
verb
tenses;
tensed;
tensing
2
tense
/ˈtɛns/
verb
tenses;
tensed;
tensing
Britannica Dictionary definition of TENSE
1
:
to make (a muscle) hard and tight
[+ object]
-
She tensed her shoulders.
[no object]
-
Her shoulders tensed (up).
2
[no object]
:
to become nervous or tense
-
She tensed as he walked toward her.
-
He tensed up and missed the putt.
— tensed
adjective [more tensed; most tensed]-
I was feeling tensed. [=tense]
3
tense
/ˈtɛns/
noun
plural
tenses
3
tense
/ˈtɛns/
noun
plural
tenses
Britannica Dictionary definition of TENSE
grammar
:
a form of a verb that is used to show when an action happened
—
see also future tense, past tense, perfect tense, present tense
[count]
-
The sentence will read better if you change the tense of the verb.
[noncount]
-
You should avoid changing tense in the middle of a paragraph.
