Tensioned

ten·sion  (tnshn)

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.

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[Latin tnsi, tnsin-, a stretching out, from tnsus, past participle of tendere, to stretch; see tense¹.]

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tension·al adj.