TENSION

tension

(noun) the action of stretching something tight; “tension holds the belt in the pulleys”

tension

(noun) (physics) a stress that produces an elongation of an elastic physical body; “the direction of maximum tension moves asymptotically toward the direction of the shear”

tension

(noun) a balance between and interplay of opposing elements or tendencies (especially in art or literature); “there is a tension created between narrative time and movie time”; “there is a tension between these approaches to understanding history”

tension, tenseness, stress

(noun) (psychology) a state of mental or emotional strain or suspense; “he suffered from fatigue and emotional tension”; “stress is a vasoconstrictor”

tension, tensity, tenseness, tautness

(noun) the physical condition of being stretched or strained; “it places great tension on the leg muscles”; “he could feel the tenseness of her body”

Source: WordNet® 3.1

Etymology

Noun

tension (countable and uncountable, plural tensions)

The condition of being held in a state between two or more forces, which are acting in opposition to each other.

Psychological state of being tense.

A feeling of nervousness, excitement, or fear that is created in a movie, book, etc.; suspense.

(physics, engineering) State of an elastic object which is stretched in a way which increases its length.

(physics, engineering) Force transmitted through a rope, string, cable, or similar object (used with prepositions on, in, or of, e.g, "The tension in the cable is 1000 N", to convey that the same magnitude of force applies to objects attached to both ends).

(physics, engineering) Voltage. Usually only the terms low tension, high tension, and extra-high tension, and the abbreviations LT, HT, and EHT are used. They are not precisely defined; LT is normally a few volts, HT a few hundreds of volts, and EHT thousands of volts.

Verb

tension (third-person singular simple present tensions, present participle tensioning, simple past and past participle tensioned)

To place an object in tension, to pull or place strain on.

Anagrams

• Sonnite, intones, neonist, noneist, sention

Source: Wiktionary

Ten"sion, n. Etym: [L. tensio, from tendere, tensum, to stretch: cf. F. tension. See Tense, a.]

1. The act of stretching or straining; the state of being stretched or strained to stiffness; the state of being bent strained; as, the tension of the muscles, tension of the larynx.

2. Fig.: Extreme strain of mind or excitement of feeling; intense effort.

3. The degree of stretching to which a wire, cord, piece of timber, or the like, is strained by drawing it in the direction of its length; strain. Gwilt.

4. (Mech.)

Definition: The force by which a part is pulled when forming part of any system in equilibrium or in motion; as, the tension of a srting supporting a weight equals that weight.

5. A device for checking the delivery of the thread in a sewing machine, so as to give the stitch the required degree of tightness.

6. (Physics)

Definition: Expansive force; the force with which the particles of a body, as a gas, tend to recede from each other and occupy a larger space; elastic force; elasticity; as, the tension of vapor; the tension of air.

7. (Elec.)

Definition: The quality in consequence of which an electric charge tends to discharge itself, as into the air by a spark, or to pass from a body of greater to one of less electrical potential. It varies as the quantity of electricity upon a given area. Tension brace, or Tension member (Engin.), a brace or member designed to resist tension, or subjected to tension, in a structure.

– Tension rod (Engin.), an iron rod used as a tension member to strengthen timber or metal framework, roofs, or the like.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition

TENSION

Etymology

Noun

Verb

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