tense up
1. become tense, nervous, or uneasy - He tensed up when he saw his opponent enter the room • Syn: tense • Ant: relax (for: tense) • Derivationally related forms: tension (for: tense), tensor (for: tense) • Hypernyms: change state, turn • Verb Frames: - Something ----s - Somebody ----s - Somebody's (body part) ----s 2. cause to be tense and uneasy or nervous or anxious - he got a phone call from his lawyer that tensed him up • Syn: tense, strain • Ant: unstrain (for: strain), relax (for: tense) • Derivationally related forms: strain (for: strain), tension (for: tense) • Hypernyms: affect • Hyponyms: stretch, extend • Cause: tense • Verb Frames: - Somebody ----s something - Something ----s somebody
|
|