1. Having inflections to indicate tense

1. Become stretched or tense or taut
   "the bodybuilder's neck muscles tensed"
   - strain 
2. Increase the tension on
   "alternately relax and tense your calf muscle"; "tense the rope manually before tensing the spring" 
3. Become tense, nervous, or uneasy
   "He tensed up when he saw his opponent enter the room"
   - tense up 
4. Cause to be tense and uneasy or nervous or anxious
   "he got a phone call from his lawyer that tensed him up"
   - strain, tense up

See also: finite, tension, tensor

Type of: affect, alter, change, change state, modify, tighten, turn

Antonym: relax

Encyclopedia: Tense

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