Dictionary entries for 'tension'

Synonyms

ten·sion (tĕńshən)

[Latin tēnsiō, tēnsiōn-, a stretching out, from tēnsus past participle of tendere, to stretch; see tense¹.]

noun

1. The act or process of stretching something tight.
2. The condition of so being stretched; tautness.
1. A force tending to stretch or elongate something.
2. A measure of such a force: a tension on the cable of 50 pounds.
1. Mental, emotional, or nervous strain: working under great tension to make a deadline.
2. Barely controlled hostility or a strained relationship between people or groups: the dangerous tension between opposing military powers.
A balanced relation between strongly opposing elements: “the continuing, and essential, tension between two of the three branches of government, judicial and legislative” (Haynes Johnson)
The interplay of conflicting elements in a piece of literature, especially a poem.
A device for regulating tautness, especially a device that controls the tautness of thread on a sewing machine or loom.
Electricity Voltage or potential; electromotive force.