A Topical Dictionary: Search for tense

Dictionary Results For "tense" [?]/[OPML]

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English

Pronunciation

IPA: /tɛns/
An audio transcript can be found at en-us-tense.ogg

Etymology 1

From (modern French ), from .

Noun

Any of the forms of a verb which distinguish when an action or state of being occurs or exists. The basic tenses in English are present, past and future. English also has perfect tenses (present tense|present perfect, past tense|past perfect and future tense|future perfect) and progressive tenses.

Translations

Afrikaans: tyd, tempus
Dutch: {{t+|nl|tijd|m}}, {{t-|nl|tempus|n}}
Finnish:
French: {{t+|fr|temps|m}}
German: {{t+|de|Zeit|f}}

Icelandic: {{t+|is|tíð|f}}
Italian: {{t+|it|tempo|m}}
Japanese: 時制 (じせい, jisei)
Polish: {{t+|pl|czas|m}}
Spanish: {{t+|es|tiempo|m}}
Swedish: {{t+|sv|tempus|n}}

Etymology 2

From , past participle of {{term|tendere||stretch}}.

Adjective

show|Showing signs of stress or strain; not relaxed.
pulled taut, without any slack.

Derived terms

hypertense

Translations

Afrikaans: gespanne, styf
Czech: {{t-|cs|napjatý|m}}
Dutch: ,
Finnish: , ,

French:
Icelandic: ,
Spanish:

Verb

To make or become tense.

Translations

Czech:
Dutch: ,

Anagrams

teens

fa:tense fr:tense io:tense it:tense lt:tense hu:tense pl:tense ru:tense simple:tense fi:tense ta:tense te:tense vi:tense tr:tense zh:tense

GNU Project's publication of CIDE, the Collaborative International Dictionary of English Tense \Tense\, a. [L. tensus, p. p. of tendere to stretch. See
Tend to move, and cf. Toise.]
Stretched tightly; strained to stiffness; rigid; not lax; as,
a tense fiber.
[1913 Webster]

The temples were sunk, her forehead was tense, and a
fatal paleness was upon her. --Goldsmith.
[1913 Webster] -- Tense"ly, adv. -- Tense"ness, n.
[1913 Webster]

GNU Project's publication of CIDE, the Collaborative International Dictionary of English Tense \Tense\, n. [OF. tens, properly, time, F. temps time,
tense. See Temporal of time, and cf. Thing.] (Gram.)
One of the forms which a verb takes by inflection or by
adding auxiliary words, so as to indicate the time of the
action or event signified; the modification which verbs
undergo for the indication of time.
[1913 Webster]

Note: The primary simple tenses are three: those which
express time past, present, and future; but these admit
of modifications, which differ in different languages.
[1913 Webster]

WordNet tense
adj 1: in or of a state of physical or nervous tension [ant: relaxed]
2: pronounced with relatively tense tongue muscles (e.g., the
vowel sound in `beat') [ant: lax]
3: taut or rigid; stretched tight; "tense piano strings" [ant:
lax]
n : a grammatical category of verbs used to express distinctions
of time
v 1: stretch or force to the limit; "strain the rope" [syn: strain]
2: increase the tension on; "tense a rope"
3: become tense or tenser; "He tensed up when he saw his
opponent enter the room" [syn: tense up] [ant: relax]
4: make tense and uneasy or nervous or anxious; [syn: strain,
tense up] [ant: relax, relax]

Moby Dictionary
accented , agitated , all-overish , alveolar , antsy , anxious ,
anxioused up , aorist , apical , apico-alveolar , apico-dental ,
apprehensive , articulated , assimilated , back , barytone , bilabial ,
bothered , brace , broad , cacuminal , central , cerebral , checked ,
chill , chilly , chronology , close , cold , concerned , consonant ,
consonantal , continuant , continue , continuity , cool , dental ,
disaccordant , disquieted , disquieting , dissimilated , distressed ,
distressing , disturbed , disturbing , dorsal , drag out , dragged out ,
draw , draw out , drawn , drawn out , duration , durative , duree , edgy ,
elongate , elongated , extend , extended , fearful , fidgety , firm ,
flat , fluttery , foreboding , fraught , front , frosty , fussy , future ,
future perfect , glide , glossal , glottal , guttural , hard , haul ,
heave , heavy , high , high-strung , historical present , icy ,
imperfect , in a pucker , in a stew , in suspense , incompatible ,
inhospitable , inimical , intense , intonated , jittery , jumpy ,
keyed up , keyed-up , labial , labiodental , labiovelar , lastingness ,
lateral , lax , lengthen , lengthen out , lengthened , let out , light ,
lingual , liquid , low , mid , misgiving , monophthongal , muted , narrow ,
nasal , nasalized , nerve-racking , nervous , nervy , occlusive ,
on edge , on tenterhooks , on tiptoe , open , overanxious ,
overapprehensive , overexert , overextend , overstrain , overtax ,
overwrought , oxytone , palatal , palatalized , past , past perfect ,
perfect , period , perturbed , pharyngeal , pharyngealized , phonemic ,
phonetic , phonic , pitch , pitched , pluperfect , point tense ,
pokerlike , posttonic , present , present perfect , press , preterit ,
produce , progressive tense , prolong , prolongate , prolongated ,
prolonged , protract , protracted , psychological time , pull , pulled ,
queasy , quivering , rack , ramrodlike , reinforce , renitent , restive ,
restless , retroflex , rigid , rigidify , rodlike , rounded , rusty ,
screw up , semivowel , shore up , soft , solicitous , sonant , space ,
space-time , spin out , spun out , starched , starchy , stiff ,
stiff as buckram , stiffen , stopped , straggling , strain ,
strain every nerve , strained , strengthen , stress , stressed ,
stressful , stretch , stretch out , stretched , stretched out ,
stretched tight , string out , strong , strung out , surd , suspenseful ,
sweat blood , syllabic , taut , tauten , tax , tension , term ,
the future , the past , the present , thick , throaty , tide , tight ,
tighten , time , timebinding , tonal , tonic , trice up , troubled , tug ,
twangy , unaccented , unamiable , unamicable , uncordial ,
under a strain , uneasy , unfriendly , ungenial , unharmonious ,
unquiet , unrelaxed , unrestful , unrounded , unsettled , unsociable ,
unstressed , upset , uptight , velar , virgate , vocalic , vocoid ,
voiced , voiceless , vowel , vowellike , weak , while , wide ,
with bated breath , with muscles tense , worked up , worried ,
worrisome , worrying , wound up , wrought up , zealous

Jargon tense adj. Of programs, very clever and efficient. A tense piece of
code often got that way because it was highly bummed, but sometimes it
was just based on a great idea. A comment in a clever routine by Mike
Kazar, once a grad-student hacker at CMU: "This routine is so tense it
will bring tears to your eyes." A tense programmer is one who produces
tense code.

FOLDOC tense

Of programs, very clever and efficient. A tense piece of code
often got that way because it was highly bummed, but
sometimes it was just based on a great idea. A comment in a
clever routine by Mike Kazar, once a grad-student hacker at
CMU: "This routine is so tense it will bring tears to your
eyes." A tense programmer is one who produces tense code.

[Jargon File]

TENSE. A term used in, grammar to denote the distinction of time. 2. The acts of a court of justice ought to be in the present tense; as, "praeceptum est," not "preaceptum fuit;" but the acts of, the party may be in the preterperfect tense, as "venit, et protulit hic in curia quandum querelam suam;" and the continuances are in the preterperfect tense; as, "venerunt," not "veniunt." 1 Mod. 81. 3. The contract of marriage should be made in language in the present tense. 6 Binn. Rep. 405. Vide 1 Saund. 393, n. 1.