Emily Dickinson Lexicon

TENSE, n. [tens; corrupted from Fr. temps, L. tempus.]

In grammar, time, or a particular form of a verb, or a combination of words, used to express the time of action, or of that which is affirmed; or tense is an inflection of verbs, by which they are made to signify distinguish the time of actions or events. The primary simple tenses are three; those which express time past, present, and future; but these admit of modifications, which differ in different languages. The English language is rich in tenses, beyond any other language in Europe.