tense

• n. a grammatical category of verbs used to express distinctions of time
• v.
  • become stretched or tense or taught

    "the bodybuilder's neck muscles tensed"

    同义词： 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"

    同义词： tense up

  • cause to be tense and uneasy or nervous or anxious

    "he got a phone call from his lawyer that tensed him up"

    同义词： strain tense up

• adj.
  • 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"

以上来源于: WordNet