Emily Dickinson Lexicon

TENSE-NESS, n. [tens'ness.]

The state of being tense or stretched to stiffness; stiffness; opposed to laxness; as, the tenseness of a string or fiber; tenseness of the skin. Sharp.

TENS-I-BIL'I-TY, n.

The state that admits tension.

TENS'I-BLE, a.

Capable of being extended. Bacon.

TENS'ILE, a.

Capable of extension. Bacon.

TEN'SION, n. [Fr. from L. tensio, tendo.]

1. The act of stretching or straining; as, the tension of the muscles.
2. The state of being stretched or strained to stiffness; or the state of being bent or strained; as, different degrees of tension in chords give different sounds; the greater the tension, the more acute the sound.
3. Distension.

TENS'IVE, a.

Giving the sensation of tension, stiffness or contraction; as, a tensive pain. Floyer.

TEN'SOME, a. [See TENDSOME.]

TENS'OR, n.

In anatomy, a muscle that extends or stretches a part.

TEN'SURE, n.

The same as Tension, and not used. Bacon.

TENT, n.¹ [W. tent, from ten, tyn, stretched; Fr. tente; Sp. tienda; L. tentorium, from tendo, to stretch.]

1. A pavilion or portable lodge consisting of canvas or other coarse cloth, stretched and sustained by poles; used for sheltering persons from the weather, particularly soldiers in camp. The wandering Arabs and Tartars lodge in tents. The Israelites lodged in tents forty years, while they were in the desert.
2. In surgery, a roll of lint or linen, used to dilate an opening in the flesh, or to prevent the healing of an opening from which matter or other fluid is discharged. Cyc.

TENT, n.² [Sp. tinto, deep colored, from L. tinctus.]

A kind of wine of a deep red color, chiefly from Galicia or Malaga in Spain.

TENT, v.i.

To lodge as in a tent; to tabernacle. Shak.

TENT, v.t.

1. To probe; to search as with a tent; as, to tent a wound. I'll tent him to the quick. Shak.
2. To keep open with a tent. Wiseman.

TEN'TA-CLE, n. [Tech. L. tentacula.]

A filiform process or organ, simple or branched, on the bodies of various animals of the Linnæan class Vermes, and of Cuvier's Mollusca, Annelides, Echinodermata, Actinia, Medusæ, Polypi, &c. either an organ of feeling, prehension or motion, sometimes round the mouth, sometimes on other parts of the body.

TEN-TAC'U-LAR, a.

Pertaining to tentacles.

TEN-TA-CU-LIF'ER-OUS, a. [L. tentaculum and fero, to bear.]

Producing tentacula or tentacles. Kirby.

TENT'AGE, n.

An encampment. [Unusual.] Drayton.

TEN-TA'TION, n. [Fr. from L. tentatio; tento, to try.]

Trial; temptation. [Little used.] Brown.

TENT'A-TIVE, a. [Fr.]

Trying; essaying.

TENT'A-TIVE, n.

An essay; trial. Berkeley.

TENT'ED, a.

1. Covered or furnished with tents; as soldiers.
2. Covered with tents; as, a tented field.

TENT'ER, or TENT'ER-HOOK, n. [L. tendo, tentus, to stretch.]

A hook for stretching cloth on a frame. To be on the tenters; to be on the stretch; to be in distress, uneasiness or suspense. Hudibras.

TENT'ER, v.i.

To admit extension. Woolen cloths will tenter. Bacon.

TENT'ER, v.t.

To hang or stretch on tenters. Bacon.

TENT'ER-ED, pp.

Stretched or hung on tenters.