'Tense' definitions:

Definition of 'tense'

(from WordNet)
adjective
In or of a state of physical or nervous tension [ant: relaxed]
adjective
Pronounced with relatively tense tongue muscles (e.g., the vowel sound in `beat') [ant: lax]
adjective
Taut or rigid; stretched tight; "tense piano strings" [ant: lax]
noun
A grammatical category of verbs used to express distinctions of time
verb
Become stretched or tense or taut; "the bodybuilder's neck muscles tensed;" "the rope strained when the weight was attached" [syn: strain, tense]
verb
Increase the tension on; "alternately relax and tense your calf muscle"; "tense the rope manually before tensing the spring"
verb
Become tense, nervous, or uneasy; "He tensed up when he saw his opponent enter the room" [syn: tense, tense up] [ant: decompress, loosen up, relax, slow down, unbend, unwind]
verb
Cause to be tense and uneasy or nervous or anxious; "he got a phone call from his lawyer that tensed him up" [syn: tense, strain, tense up] [ant: loosen up, make relaxed, relax, unlax, unstrain, unwind]

Definition of 'Tense'

From: GCIDE
  • Tense \Tense\, n. [OF. tens, properly, time, F. temps time, tense. See Temporal of time, and cf. Thing.] (Gram.) One of the forms which a verb takes by inflection or by adding auxiliary words, so as to indicate the time of the action or event signified; the modification which verbs undergo for the indication of time. [1913 Webster]
  • Note: The primary simple tenses are three: those which express time past, present, and future; but these admit of modifications, which differ in different languages. [1913 Webster]

Definition of 'Tense'

From: GCIDE
  • Tense \Tense\, a. [L. tensus, p. p. of tendere to stretch. See Tend to move, and cf. Toise.] Stretched tightly; strained to stiffness; rigid; not lax; as, a tense fiber. [1913 Webster]
  • The temples were sunk, her forehead was tense, and a fatal paleness was upon her. --Goldsmith. [1913 Webster] -- {Tense"ly}, adv. -- {Tense"ness}, n. [1913 Webster]

Synonyms of 'tense'

From: Moby Thesaurus