in or of a state of physical or nervous tension

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

taut or rigid; stretched tight; tense piano strings'

a grammatical category of verbs used to express distinctions of time

become stretched or tense or taut; the bodybuilders neck muscles tensed; the rope strained when the weight was attached

[ Syn: strain ]

increase the tension on; alternately relax and tense your calf muscle; tense the rope manually before tensing the spring'

become tense, nervous, or uneasy; He tensed up when he saw his opponent enter the room

[ Syn: tense up ]

cause to be tense and uneasy or nervous or anxious; he got a phone call from his lawyer that tensed him up

[ Syn: strain , strain , tense up , tense up ]