tense

B2 · Upper Intermediate

adj. stretched tight or stiff, like a rope or a muscle.

adj. stretched tight or rigid; lacking slack or flexibility.

“His neck muscles were tense after sitting at the computer all day.”

“The sailor ensured the rope was tense before securing it to the dock, preventing the boat from drifting with the tide.”

B1 · Intermediate Countable noun Education Technical

n. the form of a verb that shows when an action happened, such as the past, present, or future.

n. a grammatical category that locates a situation in time, typically indicated by verbal inflection or auxiliary forms.

“In English, we use the past tense to talk about things that finished yesterday.”

“The student struggled to distinguish between the present perfect and the past simple tense during the advanced grammar workshop.”

B2 · Upper Intermediate

v. to make your muscles tight or to become tight.

v. to make or become tense or stretched; often used reflexively regarding musculature.

“You might tense your shoulders when you are feeling stressed.”

“The athlete's muscles began to tense as she waited for the starting pistol to signal the beginning of the race.”