tense
adjective
stretched tight, as a cord, fiber, etc.; drawn taut; rigid.
was tensing
-
past progressiveof tense.past progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Ms Letby, who became the child's dedicated nurse later that evening, noted at 21:14 that he was tensing his limbs, curling his fingers and toes and rotating his hands and feet inwards.
From BBC ● Feb. 20, 2023
And then it seemed like everyone was tensing and waiting for Friday night, because the police had said they were going to release the video after 6 p.m.
From Slate ● Feb. 1, 2023
I was watching the muscles in his trunk for any sign that he was tensing up, but when he was finished with us, he simply dropped his heavy trunk and sauntered off.
From New York Times ● Aug. 1, 2012
For a second, she wasn’t sure why she was tensing up.
From "Shadowshaper" by Daniel José Older
"We're losing weight," muttered Clyde from his chair, and Burl knew the ship was tensing to take off.
From The Secret of the Ninth Planet by Donald Allen Wollheim
