Examples Word Origin
See more synonyms for tension on Thesaurus.com the act of stretching or straining. the state of being stretched or strained. mental or emotional strain; intense, suppressed suspense, anxiety, or excitement. a strained relationship between individuals, groups, nations, etc. (not in current use) pressure, especially of a vapor. Mechanics the longitudinal deformation of an elastic body that results in its elongation. the force producing such deformation. Electricity electromotive force; potential. Machinery a device for stretching or pulling something. a device to hold the proper tension on the material being woven in a loom. Show More
to subject (a cable, belt, tendon, or the like) to tension, especially for a specific purpose. Show More
Origin of tension 1525–35; <
Latin tēnsiōn- (stem of
tēnsiō ) a stretching. See
tense1 ,
-ion Related forms ten·sion·al , adjective ten·sion·less , adjective o·ver·ten·sion , noun su·per·ten·sion , noun Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Related Words for tension pressure ,
stress ,
strain ,
nervousness ,
anxiety ,
apprehension ,
hostility ,
unease ,
discomfort ,
jitters ,
suspense ,
worry ,
concern ,
force ,
rigidity ,
stiffness ,
balance ,
constriction ,
tautness ,
straining Examples from the Web for tension Contemporary Examples of tension Yes, cops are under stress and tension (though their jobs are far less dangerous than normally supposed).
“This tension was not well received at the Vatican,” according to Tosatti.
That's a step forward from the tension of the past two years.
Really, sortition strikes at the tension at the heart of elective representative democracy.
For instance, when a couple is having trouble, the tension and hostility can bleed into BDSM scenes.
Historical Examples of tension Dick, too, had felt the tension of an emotion far beyond that of the usual things.
The great bow creaked and groaned and the cord vibrated with the tension .
It seemed to relieve the tension drawn by the other woman's torment.
There was some tension of mind or muscle that kept sleep far from him.
Whether this tension was felt by the Honourable George, I had no means of knowing.
British Dictionary definitions for tension the act of stretching or the state or degree of being stretched mental or emotional strain; stress a situation or condition of hostility, suspense, or uneasiness physics a force that tends to produce an elongation of a body or structure physics voltage, electromotive force, or potential difference (in combination ) high-tension ; low-tension a device for regulating the tension in a part, string, thread, etc, as in a sewing machine knitting the degree of tightness or looseness with which a person knits Show More
Derived Forms tensional , adjective tensionless , adjective Word Origin for tension C16: from Latin tensiō, from tendere to strain
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for tension n. 1530s, "a stretched condition," from Middle French tension , from Latin tensionem (nominative tensio ) "a stretching" (in Medieval Latin "a struggle, contest"), noun of state from tensus , past participle of tendere "to stretch," from PIE root *ten- "stretch" (see tenet ). The sense of "nervous strain" is first recorded 1763. The meaning "electromotive force" (in high-tension wires ) is recorded from 1802.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
The act or process of stretching something tight. The condition of so being stretched. A force tending to stretch or elongate something. The partial pressure of a gas, especially dissolved in a liquid such as blood. Mental, emotional, or nervous strain. Barely controlled hostility or a strained relationship between people or groups. Show More
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
A force that tends to stretch or elongate something. An electrical potential (voltage), especially as measured in electrical components such as transformers or power lines involved in the transmission of electrical power. Show More
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
