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tense ~ tense

[the same pronunciation]

“Tense”, as an adjective, means ‘(of a person or animal) nervous, anxious and worried of something, and not able to relax; (of a situation, event, etc.) in which a person shows or feels worry, anger; (of a part or muscle of a person’s body) tight, not relaxed due to heavy and/or continues work; (of a wire, rope, etc.) pulled or stretched taut’; as a verb, it is ‘to be or to make a part muscle of one’s body tight and stiff, not normal or relaxed’, {The noun form ‘tension’ is more commonly used.}

e.g.

The surgeon had looked tense before he entered the operation theatre, but relaxed once he started the operation.

The students spent a tense month waiting for their final examination results.

She tensed when the police detective told her that he had been tailing her for weeks.

My driving instructor told me repeatedly not to tense up so much.

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“Tense” (noun) is ‘(in grammar) the ‘time’ at which the main verb of a sentence or expression is used – the three broad heads (categories) are: Present Tense, Past Tense and Future Tense’,

e.g.

He goes to school every day.    ['goes' --- Simple Present Tense of the verb word ‘go’]

He went to school yesterday.    ['went' --- Simple Past Tense of the verb word ‘go’]

He will go to school tomorrow.   ['will go' --- Simple Future Tense of the verb word ‘go’]

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