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📕 rednote ID(小红书号)：3881567312

Tension Definition: Nervous Strain & Stretched Tight (2 meaning)

Meaning 1：nervous strain (tension)

tension 🔊

/ˈtɛnʃən/

The feeling of being nervous, worried, and not relaxed.

nervous strain 🔊

➕

/ˈnɜːrvəs streɪn/

A feeling of mental or emotional pressure, often due to worry, fear, or a stressful situation.

📁 Category：School Education 🔖 Level：Intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

From Latin 'tendere' (to stretch) + '-ion'.

💡 Mnemonic

Think of a tensed muscle: your 'ten' fingers clench when you feel tension.

📖 Example

Before the big exam, there was a lot of tension in the classroom; everyone was silent, focusing on their notes. 🔊 Before the big exam, there was a lot of tension in the classroom; everyone was silent, focusing on their notes.

🔗 Collocations

release tension – To reduce or relieve nervous strain.

build up tension – To gradually increase feelings of stress.

tension headache – A headache caused by stress or tight muscles.

🔄 Synonyms

stress (n.) – A state of mental or emotional strain from demanding circumstances.

anxiety (n.) – A feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease about something uncertain.

strain (n.) – Pressure or stress put on a person's mental or physical resources.

🚫 Antonyms

calm (n.) – A state of peace and relaxation without stress.

relaxation (n.) – The state of being free from tension and anxiety.

🌱 Derivatives

tense (adj.) – Nervous or not relaxed.

tensely (adv.) – In a way that shows nervousness or strain.

📖 Cultural Story

Derived from Latin 'tendere', meaning 'to stretch'. Entered English via Old French 'tension' in the 16th century, initially referring to physical stretching, later extended to mental strain.

Meaning 2：stretched tight (tension)

tension 🔊

/ˈtɛnʃən/

The state of being stretched tight.

stretched tight 🔊

➕

/strɛtʃt taɪt/

The state of being pulled or stretched tightly, often resulting in a straining force on an object.

📁 Category：Objects & Materials 🔖 Level：Intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Example

The rope was under great tension during the tug-of-war contest, stretched almost to its breaking point. 🔊 The rope was under great tension during the tug-of-war contest, stretched almost to its breaking point.

🔗 Collocations

under tension – In a state of being stretched or pulled tightly.

tension force – The pulling force transmitted along a rope, cable, or other object.

high tension wires – Electric cables carrying high voltage, often taut.

🔄 Synonyms

tautness (n.) – The quality of being stretched tight, like a rope.

tightness (n.) – The state of being firmly fixed or stretched.

strain (n.) – Force applied to stretch or deform an object.

🚫 Antonyms

slack (n.) – Lack of tension; a loose or free state.

looseness (n.) – The state of being not tight or fixed.

🌱 Derivatives

tensile (adj.) – Relating to tension or the ability to be stretched.

tensioner (n.) – A device for maintaining tension, e.g., on a belt or chain.