adj. & v.
adj. 1 stretched tight, strained (tense cord; tense muscle; tense nerves; tense emotion). 2 causing tenseness (a tense moment). 3 Phonet. pronounced with the vocal muscles tense.
v.tr. & intr. make or become tense. tense up become tense. tensely adv. tenseness n. tensity n.
[ L tensus past part. of tendere stretch ]