tense: English has two separate words tense. The older, ‘verb form indicating time’ [14], came via Old French tens from Latin tempus ‘time’ (source also of English temporal, temporary, etc). The original meaning ‘time’ survived into English, but died out in the early 16th century. The adjective tense [17] was adapted from tensus, the past participle of Latin tendere ‘stretch’ (source also of English tend, tendency, etc). It originally meant simply ‘stretched tight’, and the metaphorical ‘strained’ did not emerge until the 19th century. Tension [16] comes from the Latin derivative tensiō. => temporary; tend
tense (adj.)
"stretched tight," 1660s, from Latin tensus, past participle of tendere "to stretch, extend" (see tenet). Figurative sense of "in a state of nervous tension" is first recorded 1821. Related: Tensely; tenseness.
tense (n.)
"form of a verb showing time of an action or state," early 14c., tens "time," also "tense of a verb" (late 14c.), from Old French tens "time, period of time, era; occasion, opportunity; weather" (11c., Modern French temps), from Latin tempus "a portion of time" (also source of Spanish tiempo, Italian tempo; see temporal).
tense (v.)
"to make tense," 1670s, from tense (adj.); intransitive sense of "to become tense" (often tense up) is recorded from 1946. Related: Tensed; tensing.
中文解释
1. tens- + -e.2. => stretched tightly.3. tense (n.): "form of a verb showing time of an action or state," from Old French tens "time", from Latin tempus (see temporal).
实用例句
1. Dart, who had at first been very tense, at last relaxed.
起初，达特非常紧张，最后终于放松了下来。
来自柯林斯例句
2. She seemed nervous or tense, and she was definitely short with me.
她似乎很焦虑，抑或是很紧张，对我明显很不客气。
来自柯林斯例句
3. My arms are tired, and my back is tense.
我的胳膊很累，背部肌肉紧绷得难受。
来自柯林斯例句
4. His voice had lost its resonance; it was tense and strained.
他的声音不再洪亮，而是显得紧张，不太自然。
来自柯林斯例句
5. When we are under stress our bodies tend to tense up.