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(psychology) a state of mental or emotional strain or suspense;
"he suffered from fatigue and emotional tension"
"stress is a vasoconstrictor"
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the physical condition of being stretched or strained;
"it places great tension on the leg muscles"
"he could feel the tenseness of her body"
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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"
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(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"
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feelings of hostility that are not manifest;
"he could sense her latent hostility to him"
"the diplomats' first concern was to reduce international tensions"
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the action of stretching something tight;
"tension holds the belt in the pulleys"