tense
//tɛns//
Adjective
tenseCanonical form
tenserComparative
tensestSuperlative
1
Stretched tight; not relaxed; rigid or strained.
The rope was tense and ready to snap.
2
Feeling or showing nervousness, anxiety, or stress.
She felt tense before the job interview.
3
Characterized by strain or suspense; causing anxiety.
The final minutes of the game were very tense.
Verb
tenseInfinitive
tensePresent tense
tensedPast tense
tensedPast participle
tensingPresent participle
tensesThird-person singular
1
To make or become tense or tight.
She tensed her muscles before lifting the heavy box.
Noun
tenseSingular
tensesPlural
1
A grammatical category indicating the time of an action or state expressed by a verb.
English has three main tenses: past, present, and future.