n.
- the state of being tense.
▸a strained state or condition resulting from forces acting in opposition to each other.
- mental or emotional strain.
▸a strained political or social state.
- the degree of stitch tightness in knitting and machine sewing.
- voltage of specified magnitude:
![]()
high tension.
v.
subject to tension.
Derivative
- tensional adj.
- tensionally adv.
- tensioner n.
- tensionless adj.
Etymology
C16: from Fr., or from L. tensio(n-), from tendere ‘to stretch’.
