Tense

verb

tɛns

Adjective

taut or rigid; stretched tight
“tense piano strings”
See also:Tight
in or of a state of physical or nervous tension
See also:AgitatedUneasy
pronounced with relatively tense tongue muscles (e.g., the vowel sound in `beat')

cause to be tense and uneasy or nervous or anxious
“he got a phone call from his lawyer that tensed him up”
Similar:Strain
Type of:Affect
become stretched or tense or taut
“the bodybuilder's neck muscles tensed”
Similar:Strain
Type of:Tighten
become tense, nervous, or uneasy
“He tensed up when he saw his opponent enter the room”
Type of:Turn
increase the tension on
“alternately relax and tense your calf muscle”
“tense the rope manually before tensing the spring”
Type of:AlterModifyChange