tense
gb/tˈɛns/ us/tˈɛns/
A2
Anglais
~ 1800
Sens
0 sens
adjective
B1
state
1
Feeling nervous or worried
Feeling worried, nervous, or unable to relax.
Schéma d’usage :
[someone] feels tense
Erreur fréquente :
Learners sometimes confuse 'tense' with 'tight' when talking about feelings. 'Tense' is about emotional or mental stress, not physical tightness.
Synonymes
anxious (Often implies worry about something specific or in the future.)
Antonymes
relaxed (Describes a state of calmness and ease, the opposite of tense.)
Collocations
tense atmosphere
|feel tense
|tense situation
|look tense
Thèmes
emotions
|daily life
|health
|core_vocabulary
Exemples
- She felt tense before giving her speech.
- The atmosphere in the room was tense after the argument.
- He looked tense as he waited for the results.
Exemples pédagogiques
- I feel tense before a test.
- The room is tense after the fight.
- He is tense when he talks to his boss.
adjective
B1
property
2
Stretched tight or stiff
Pulled tight and not loose.
Schéma d’usage :
[something] is tense
Erreur fréquente :
Learners sometimes use 'tense' instead of 'tight' for clothing. 'Tense' is usually for muscles, ropes, or situations, not clothes.
Synonymes
taut (Focuses on being physically pulled tight.)
Antonymes
slack (Describes something that is loose or not tight.)
Collocations
tense muscles
|tense body
|tense rope
Thèmes
physical
|description
|core_vocabulary
Exemples
- The rope was tense under the weight.
- Her muscles were tense from holding the heavy bag.
- He kept his body tense during the exercise.
Exemples pédagogiques
- The rope is tense.
- My legs are tense after running.
- His arms are tense when he lifts weights.
Nom
technical
A2
entity
3
Verb form showing time
The form of a verb that shows when something happens (past, present, future).
Erreur fréquente :
Learners may confuse 'tense' with 'time'. Tense is about verb form, not actual clock time.
Synonymes
verb form (A broader term that can include aspects beyond time.)
Antonymes
aspect (A related grammatical category that shows how an action extends over time rather than when it occurs.)
Collocations
present tense
|past tense
|future tense
Thèmes
language
|grammar
|education
|communication
Exemples
- In English, the past tense often ends in -ed.
- The teacher explained how to use the present tense correctly.
- Future tense is less common in some languages.
Exemples pédagogiques
- We use past tense for yesterday.
- Present tense means now.
- Future tense means later.
Verbe
B1
action
4
Make tight or rigid
To make something tight, or to become tight.
Schéma d’usage :
to tense [something]
Erreur fréquente :
Learners sometimes use 'tense' instead of 'stretch'. 'Tense' means to make tight, not to lengthen.
Synonymes
tighten (A more general term for making something tighter; not limited to physical or emotional contexts.)
Antonymes
loosen (Means to make less tight physically.)
Collocations
tense muscles
|tense up
Thèmes
physical
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Exemples
- She tensed her shoulders before lifting the box.
- His jaw tensed when he heard the bad news.
- The rope tensed as the weight increased.
Exemples pédagogiques
- I tense my arms when I lift heavy things.
- He tenses his face when angry.
- The rope tenses when we pull it.
Grammaire
Forme canonique
tense
API
GB/tˈɛns/
US/tˈɛns/
Syllabes et accentuation
tense (1 syllabe)
Stress on 1st syllable (tense)
Formes du mot
Adjective
- Base: tense
- Comparative: tenser
- Superlative: tensest
Noun
- Base: tense
- Plural: tense, tenses
Verb
- Base: tense
- 3rd Person Singular: tenses
- Present Participle: tensing
- Past: tensed
Famille de mots
Expressions
in the past tense
1/ˈɪn ðə pˈæst tˈɛns/
fixed phrase
technical
Using verbs for past time
Using a verb form that shows something happened before now.
Exemples
- You should write this story in the past tense.
- He spoke in the past tense about his old job.
tense up
1/tˈɛns ˈʌp/
phrasal verb
Suddenly become tight or stiff
To suddenly make your body or mind tight because you are nervous, afraid, or ready for action.
Exemples
- She tensed up when she saw the snake.
- I always tense up before an exam.