ten·sion (t n sh n)n. 1. a. The act or process of stretching something tight. b. The condition of so being stretched; tautness. 2. a. A force tending to stretch or elongate something. b. A measure of such a force: a tension on the cable of 50 pounds. 3. a. Mental, emotional, or nervous strain: working under great tension to make a deadline. b. Barely controlled hostility or a strained relationship between people or groups: the dangerous tension between opposing military powers. 4. 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). 5. The interplay of conflicting elements in a piece of literature, especially a poem. 6. A device for regulating tautness, especially a device that controls the tautness of thread on a sewing machine or loom. 7. Electricity Voltage or potential; electromotive force. tr.v. ten·sioned, ten·sion·ing, ten·sions To subject to tension; tighten. [Latin t  nsi , tnsin-, a stretching out, from tnsus, past participle of tendere, to stretch; see tense1.]ten sion·al adj. |
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