1. • noun - (psychology) a state of mental or emotional strain or suspense
   • noun - the physical condition of being stretched or strained
   • noun - a balance between and interplay of opposing elements or tendencies (especially in art or literature)
   • noun - (physics) a stress that produces an elongation of an elastic physical body
   • noun - feelings of hostility that are not manifest
   • noun - the action of stretching something tight
2. • The act or process of stretching something tight.
   • The condition of so being stretched; tautness.
   • A force tending to stretch or elongate something.
   • A measure of such a force: a tension on the cable of 50 pounds.
   • The interplay of conflicting elements in a piece of literature, especially a poem.
   • Mental, emotional, or nervous strain: working under great tension to make a deadline.
   • Barely controlled hostility or a strained relationship between people or groups: the dangerous tension between opposing military powers.
   • Uneasy suspense: a comic scene that relieved the tension of the drama.
   • 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).
   • A device for regulating tautness, especially a device that controls the tautness of thread on a sewing machine or loom.
   • Electricity.
3. • adj - fully stretched, so as not to be slack
   • v - to bring together in intricate confusion

WORD BUILDER