tense
tense — adjective
1. feeling worried or nervous, with your mind unable to calm down, often because so
feeling worried or nervous, with your mind unable to calm down, often because something uncertain or stressful is about to happen.
Andrés always feels tense before a big exam, even if he studied well.
feel tense + about + event
Rania was so tense during the job interview that her voice kept shaking.
Min could tell her brother was tense from the way he paced the room.
The bride's mother grew so tense on the wedding day that she forgot the bouquet.
Before his surgery, the young athlete tried to hide how tense he felt from his teammates.
文法句型
be/get/feel tense
tense + about + noun phrase
用法筆記
Tense describes a temporary emotional state, not a long-term personality trait. For someone who worries often or has a worried personality, use 'anxious' instead.
常見錯誤
2. describes a situation, atmosphere, or relationship in which people feel worry, a
describes a situation, atmosphere, or relationship in which people feel worry, anger, or nervousness that is not openly expressed.
The atmosphere in the meeting room was tense after the manager announced the layoffs.
tense + atmosphere / situation
Asher tried to lighten the tense mood with a joke, but nobody laughed.
Imani avoided the kitchen because the silence between her parents felt too tense.
The courtroom fell into a tense silence when the witness began to speak.
A tense negotiation between the two companies lasted late into the night.
文法句型
tense + noun (atmosphere/moment/silence)
be/become tense
用法筆記
A situation is tense, not nervous. 'Nervous' describes a person's feelings; 'tense' describes the mood of the situation itself.
常見錯誤
3. when a muscle or other body part is pulled firm and not relaxed, often from fear
when a muscle or other body part is pulled firm and not relaxed, often from fear, nervousness, or physical effort.
Anna's shoulders felt tense after sitting at her desk for eight hours straight.
tense + body part (shoulders/neck/jaw)
Élise noticed the cat's tense body and knew it was getting ready to pounce.
Aarav massaged his tense neck muscles before starting his weightlifting routine.
The hiker's leg muscles stayed tense throughout the steep climb up the mountain.
After the long bike ride, the cyclist's back muscles felt tense and sore.
文法句型
tense + body part (neck/shoulder/jaw/muscle)
be/feel tense
用法筆記
Commonly describes the neck, shoulders, jaw, and back after long periods of stress or physical activity. 'Tense' in this sense focuses on the physical feeling of tightness, not the emotional cause.
常見錯誤
4. in phonetics, describes a vowel or consonant produced with greater muscular effo
in phonetics, describes a vowel or consonant produced with greater muscular effort in the vocal tract, compared to other sounds of the same type.
Sivan learned that the vowel in 'beat' is tense, while the one in 'bit' is lax.
tense vowel vs. lax vowel in English
Piotr practised making his tongue muscles tense when he pronounced the long vowels in class.
In Mandarin, some vowels are produced with a more tense tongue position than others.
The linguistics professor asked the class to identify which sounds are tense and which are lax.
文法句型
tense + vowel/consonant
用法筆記
This is a technical term used mainly in linguistics and phonetics courses. It is the opposite of 'lax'. Tense vowels are typically longer and produced with more tongue-root advancement.
tense — noun
1. a set of verb forms that shows when an action or state happens — whether in the
a set of verb forms that shows when an action or state happens — whether in the past, present, or future.
Students often mix up the present perfect tense with the simple past tense.
present perfect tense / simple past tense — naming tense forms
Linh is learning how to form the future tense in her grammar class this semester.
The teacher asked the class to write each sentence in the past tense.
The English test asked students to change each sentence from present to past tense.
The grammar textbook has a whole chapter on choosing the correct verb tense.
文法句型
in the + tense form
present/past/future + tense
verb + tense
用法筆記
English has three main tenses: past, present, and future. Each can be simple, continuous, perfect, or perfect continuous. Secondary-school grammar lessons frequently use 'tense' to also cover aspect, though technically these are separate concepts.
常見錯誤
tense — verb
1. to make a muscle or a group of muscles become firm and tight, usually as a react
to make a muscle or a group of muscles become firm and tight, usually as a reaction to fear, nervousness, or preparation for physical effort.
The runner tensed her leg muscles just before the starting gun went off.
transitive: tense + body part
The nurse saw the patient's jaw tense as the needle went into his arm.
intransitive: body part + tense
The driver tensed up when the car skidded on the wet road in the rain.
The dancer tensed her core muscles before attempting the difficult lift.
The piano teacher's shoulders tensed with every wrong note the student played.
文法句型
tense + body part (transitive)
tense up (intransitive)
muscles/body tense (intransitive)
用法筆記
Often used with 'up' in informal contexts: 'tense up'. When used transitively, do NOT add 'up': say 'tense your shoulders', not 'tense up your shoulders'. The intransitive 'tense up' means your body tightens in reaction to something stressful.
常見錯誤
2. to become more and more anxious as a stressful moment draws near, making it hard
to become more and more anxious as a stressful moment draws near, making it hard to stay calm.
The guitarist tensed up as he walked onto the stage in front of the crowd.
tense up + before event
The patient tensed up the moment the dentist picked up the metal drill.
The actor always tenses up before going on stage, no matter how many shows he has done.
The students tensed up as soon as the principal walked into the classroom.
The new hire tensed up when the manager asked her to give an impromptu speech.
- panic
stronger, suggests loss of control
- fret
worry over small things, more long-term
- get nervous
more general, less specific to the moment
文法句型
tense up + before/at/about + event
用法筆記
Almost always used with 'up' in this sense. 'Tense up' focuses on emotional nervousness rather than physical tightening. If you want to describe the physical tightening of muscles, use verb sense 1 ('tense' without 'up', or 'tense up' for intransitive physical reactions).