Definition of "tense"

tense¹

/tɛns/

noun
plural tenses
1. (grammar, countable) Any of the forms of a verb which distinguish when an action or state of being occurs or exists.
2. (linguistics, grammar, countable) An inflected form of a verb that indicates tense.
  Quotations
  In ſo moche that if any verbe be of the thyꝛde coniugation I ſet out all his rotes and tenſes […]
  1530 July 18, Iohan Palſgrave, “The Introduction”, in Leſclarciſſement de la langue francoyſe […] ‎, London: Richard Pynſon, Iohan Haukyns, page 32; reprinted as Lesclarcissement de la langue françoyse, Genève: Slatkine Reprints, 1972
3. (linguistics, uncountable) The property of indicating the point in time at which an action or state of being occurs or exists.
verb
third-person singular simple present tenses, present participle tensing, simple past and past participle tensed
1. (grammar, transitive) To apply a tense to.

/tɛns/

adjective
comparative tenser, superlative tensest
1. Showing signs of stress or strain; not relaxed.
2. Pulled taut, without any slack.
verb
third-person singular simple present tenses, present participle tensing, simple past and past participle tensed
1. (transitive) To make tense.
2. (intransitive) To become tense.