tension

ten·sion (ten′s̸hən)

noun

a tensing or being tensed
mental or nervous strain, often accompanied by muscular tautness
a state of strained relations; uneasiness due to mutual hostility
a device for regulating tension or tautness, as of thread in a sewing machine
voltage
loosely the expansive force, or pressure, of a gas or vapor
1. stress on a material produced by the pull of forces tending to cause extension
2. a force or combination of forces exerting such a pull against the resistance of the material
a balancing of forces or elements in opposition

Etymology: < MFr or L: MFr < L tensio < tensus: see tense

transitive verb

to subject to tension

ten′·sional adjective

Converse of object

relieve: To find out more, I'm off to get my pension, Talking in the queue will help relieve the tension.
heighten: Two added ingredients heightened the tension for the investigating police, who were under increasing pressure with every murder to make an arrest.
defuse: They can talk to them on their levels and defuse the tensions.
ease: There were a number of changes to relax the rules surrounding tax credits in an attempt to ease the tension of the overpayments debacle.
exacerbate: But both candidates claimed victory on television, a move seen exacerbating tensions that could lead to market volatility.
escalate: Starting in early May 1954, the tensions escalated to strikes.

Preposition: in

peninsula: Bush's proposals increase the tension in the Korean peninsula and have aroused great disquiet in world public opinion.

Adjective modifier

racial: Its true aim is to stir up racial tensions.
muscular: Using it can improve mental focus and to relieve muscular tension.
nervous: I suffered a lot of nervous tension at the back of my head, with slight paranoia.
interfacial: The computer is able to carry out up to 12 calculations of the interfacial tension per second.
inherent: Do you think there is an inherent tension being the defense secretary in a Labor government?
sexual: Their sexual tension has been commented on by almost all the critics.

Modifies a noun

Noun used with modifier

muscle: We then went on to a second exercise which was the Jacobsen method of muscle tension relaxation.
surface: The almost spherical shape is due to the surface tension of the model.
cross-strait: Taiwan has been continuing to promote concrete measures, such as passenger and cargo charter flights, to alleviate cross-strait tension.
oxygen: In contrast, when the saturation falls below 90 % , the oxygen tension will fall rapidly with falls in oxygen saturation.
belt: My husband thinks that it may be the alternator belt tension.

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