Definition of "tense" in Anglais

noun

1. (linguistics, uncountable) The property of indicating the point in time at which an action or state of being occurs or exists.

   • Dyirbal verbs are not inflected for tense.

2. (linguistics, grammar, countable) An inflected form of a verb that indicates tense.

   • English only has a past tense and a non-past tense; it has no future tense.

3. (grammar, countable, proscribed) A grammatical aspect.

4. (grammar, countable, proscribed) A verb form or construction indicating a combination of tense, aspect, and mood.

   • The "simple present" tense in English can have several meanings.
   • The Spanish teacher told the student to use the imperfect tense instead of the preterite tense.

verb

1. (grammar, transitive) To apply a tense to.

   • tensing a verb

adjective

1. Showing signs of stress or strain; not relaxed.

   • You need to relax, all this overtime and stress is making you tense.

2. Characterized by strain (on the nerves, emotions, etc). (Compare charged.)

3. Pulled taut, without any slack.

4. (phonetics, of a vowel) Produced with relative constriction of the vocal tract.

verb

1. (transitive) To make tense.

2. (intransitive) To become tense.