TENSE

tense. Tense, n. a distinction of time; a. stretched, stiff

---

Tense (?), n. [[OF. tens, properly, time, F. temps time, tense. See Temporal of time, and cf. Thing.]] (Gram.) One of the forms which a verb takes by inflection or by adding auxiliary words, so as to indicate the time of the action or event signified; the modification which verbs undergo for the indication of time. ☞ The primary simple tenses are three: those which express time past, present, and future; but these admit of modifications, which differ in different languages.