/tens/
Translation
Nervous and unable to relax, or stretched tight.
Word origin
From Latin tensus, meaning stretched, from the verb tendere, to stretch.
- Origin
- Latin
- Root
- tensus
- English cognates
- tension, extend
Examples
.
"Tense" means nervous and not able to relax.
.
A tense mood is one where everyone feels worried.
.
Here "tense" means the muscles are tight and hard.
Used in
Grammar articles
(33)Adverb position in English: before the verb, after be, and the just, still and already traps
As vs like in English: swims like a fish, works as a waiter, and the truth about like I said
British vs American grammar: have got, gotten, the team are, and the other quiet differences
Causative have and get in English: have something done, get something done and having someone do it
Cleft sentences in English: it was X who, what I need is, and how to move the emphasis
Conditional sentences in English: the four types explained
Emphasis in English: I do like it, my own, the very, and how to push back
For, since, already, yet and still in English: which word, and where it goes in the sentence
Future continuous and future perfect in English: will be doing vs will have done
Future in the past: was going to, would, was about to, and the grammar of plans that failed
Future tense in English: will, going to and more explained
Indirect questions in English: Could you tell me where the station is, and the word order that goes with it
Inversion and word order in English: the subject-verb-object spine and when it flips
Irregular verbs in English: the full list by pattern
Mixed conditionals in English: past causes with present results, and present causes with past results
Participle clauses in English: -ing and -ed clauses, and the dangling participle trap
Advanced passive structures in English: the get-passive, it is said that, and passives with two objects
Passive voice in English: rules, examples and when to use it
Past continuous tense: was and were plus -ing, and when to use it instead of the past simple
Past modals in English: should have, could have, must have and might have
Past perfect tense: had plus past participle, and when English actually needs it
Past simple tense: rules, examples and when to use it
Present continuous tense: form, spelling and uses
Present perfect continuous: have been doing, and how it differs from the present perfect
Present perfect tense: rules, examples and when to use it
Present simple tense: rules, examples and when to use it
Reported speech in English: backshift, questions and commands
Reporting verbs in English: admit, deny, suggest, promise, and the pattern welded to each one
The subjunctive and the unreal past in English: I suggest he go, if I were you, and it's time we left
English tenses explained: all 12 with a master table
Time clauses in English: when, while, as soon as, until, before and after
Used to, would and be used to: talking about past habits and states in English
Wish and if only in English: wish + past, wish + past perfect, wish + would, and why I wish I would is wrong
Add to review queue
Track this word in your spaced-repetition queue and be tested on it at the right interval.
Go to my review queueThis word is part of lesson 57.