tensely

tense ¹  (tns)

adj. tens·er, tens·est

1. Tightly stretched; taut. See Synonyms at stiff, tight.

2. In a state of mental or nervous tension.

3. Characterized by nervous tension or suspense.

4. Linguistics Enunciated with taut muscles, as the sound () in keen.

tr. & intr.v. tensed, tens·ing, tens·es

To make or become tense.

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[Latin tnsus, past participle of tendere, to stretch; see ten- in Indo-European roots.]

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tensely adv.

tenseness n.

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tense ²  (tns)

n.

1. Any one of the inflected forms in the conjugation of a verb that indicates the time, such as past, present, or future, as well as the continuance or completion of the action or state.

2. A set of tense forms indicating a particular time: the future tense.

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[Middle English tens, from Old French, time, from Latin tempus.]

Thesaurus

Adv.

1.

tensely - in a tense manner; "he sat down tensely"

Translations

tensely [ˈtenslɪ] ADV [say, wait] → tensamente

tensely [ˈtɛnsli] adv [wait] → avec appréhension; [say, reply] → nerveusement

tensely

adv (lit) stretch → straff; (fig) listen, sit → angespannt; speak, wait (= nervously) → nervös; (= excitedly) → gespannt

tensely [ˈtɛnslɪ] adv → nervosamente