TENSE

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. øtense up become tense. øøtensely adv. tenseness n. tensity n. [L tensus past part. of tendere stretch]