ETYM Latin tensus, p. p. of tendere to stretch. Related to Tend to move, and cf. Toise.
1. Taut or rigid; stretched tight.
2. In or of a state of physical or nervous tension.
3. (Phonetics) Pronounced with relatively tense tongue muscles (e.g., the vowel sound in 'beat').

1. To become tense or tenser; SYN. tense up.
2. To increase the tension on
3. To make tense; SYN. strain, tense up.

ETYM Old Fren. tens, properly, time, French temps time, tense. Related to Temporal of time, and cf. Thing.
A grammatical category of verbs used to express distinctions of time.
In grammar, the form a verb takes to indicate action in the present, past, or future (“i work; I worked; I will work”).