What is the meaning of tense up?

verb

  • Become tense, nervous, or uneasy.
    • usage: "He tensed up when he saw his opponent enter the room"
  • Cause to be tense and uneasy or nervous or anxious.
    • usage: "he got a phone call from his lawyer that tensed him up"
WordNet 3.0 © 2006 by Princeton University
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APAWordNet. (2010). tense up. Retrieved September 20, 2026, from http://smartdefine.org/tense_up/definitions/1315553
ChicagoWordNet. 2010. "tense up" http://smartdefine.org/tense_up/definitions/1315553 (accessed September 20, 2026).
HarvardWordNet 2010, tense up, Smart Define, viewed 20 September, 2026, <http://smartdefine.org/tense_up/definitions/1315553>.
MLAWordNet. "tense up" 23 October 2010. Web. 20 September 2026. <http://smartdefine.org/tense_up/definitions/1315553>