---
title: tension — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «tension» in the school dictionary: Tension is a feeling of worry or nervousness, when people are stressed or not getting on. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# tension

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** Tension, science tension, something, Surface tension, pond skater, writer · **What happens:** be, stress, not get on, pull, stretch, happen · **To what, where:** feeling, people, pulling force, rope, tension, Tension tightness

<!-- .vabout -->
«tension» in the school dictionary: its 4 meanings for a pupil and its 7 examples, every sentence parsed by Mova itself — its syntax tree, a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies, and its pragmatics clause by clause. The word in the dictionary, with its sense in the lessons: [tension in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/tension.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Tension is a feeling of worry or nervousness, when people are stressed or not getting on.

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tension:m1:1
# text = Tension is a feeling of worry or nervousness, when people are stressed or not getting on.
1	Tension	tension	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	feeling	feeling	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	worry	worry	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	_
7	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	nervousness	nervousness	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
10	when	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	13	advmod	_	_
11	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	13	nsubj	_	_
12	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	13	aux:pass	_	_
13	stressed	stress	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	4	parataxis	_	_
14	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	16	cc	_	_
15	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	16	advmod	_	_
16	getting	get	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	13	conj	_	_
17	on	on	ADP	RP	_	16	compound:prt	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Tension | a feeling |  |  |  | of worry or nervousness | tree rules |
| 2 | **stress** | present · passive |  | people |  |  |  |  | vn butter-9.9 «NP V NP.destination»: subject=Destination |
| 3 | **not** **get on** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Experiencer |

<!-- .note -->
One row per clause the reader finds. «not said here»: a role filled from the clause above. «roles by»: a VerbNet class and frame when one fits the verb, else the reader's rules on the tree.

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In science, tension is the pulling force in a rope, string or wire when it is stretched tight.

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tension:m2:1
# text = In science, tension is the pulling force in a rope, string or wire when it is stretched tight.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	2	case	_	_
2	science	science	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	_
4	tension	tension	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
5	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	pulling	pull	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	8	amod	_	_
8	force	force	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
9	in	in	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	rope	rope	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
13	string	string	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	conj	_	_
14	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	15	cc	_	_
15	wire	wire	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	conj	_	_
16	when	when	SCONJ	WRB	_	19	mark	_	_
17	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	19	nsubj:pass	_	_
18	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	19	aux:pass	_	_
19	stretched	stretch	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	13	acl	_	_
20	tight	tight	ADV	RB	_	19	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **pull** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn slide-11.2 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **is a** | present | science tension | the pulling force and string or wire |  | a rope |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **stretch** | present · passive |  | tension |  |  |  | tight *property* | vn bend-45.2 «NP V NP.patient»: subject=Patient |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Tension is tightness, like in a muscle.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tension:m3:1
# text = Tension is tightness, like in a muscle.
1	Tension	tension	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	cop	_	_
3	tightness	tightness	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
5	like	like	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
6	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	muscle	muscle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present |  | Tension tightness |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Meaning 4 {#m4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In stories, tension is the exciting feeling that something is about to happen.

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tension:m4:1
# text = In stories, tension is the exciting feeling that something is about to happen.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	2	case	_	_
2	stories	story	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	_
4	tension	tension	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
5	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	exciting	exciting	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	feeling	feeling	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
9	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	12	mark	_	_
10	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	12	nsubj	_	_
11	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	12	cop	_	_
12	about	about	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	acl:relcl	_	_
13	to	to	PART	TO	_	14	mark	_	_
14	happen	happen	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	12	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | tension | the exciting feeling |  | stories |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **is** | present | something | the exciting feeling *not said here* |  |  |  | about *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **happen** | to-infinitive | something *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn occur-48.3-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
There was tension in the room before the results were read out.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tension:x1:1
# text = There was tension in the room before the results were read out.
1	There	there	PRON	EX	PronType=Dem	2	expl	_	_
2	was	be	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	tension	tension	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
4	in	in	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	room	room	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
7	before	before	SCONJ	IN	_	11	mark	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	results	result	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	11	nsubj:pass	_	_
10	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	11	aux:pass	_	_
11	read	read	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	advcl	_	_
12	out	out	ADP	RP	_	11	compound:prt	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **be** | past | tension |  |  | the room; there |  |  | vn exist-47.1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme in room=Location |
| 2 | **read out** | past · passive |  | the results |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1 «NP V NP»: subject=Topic |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The tension in the rope held the boat.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tension:x2:1
# text = The tension in the rope held the boat.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	tension	tension	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	in	in	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	rope	rope	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
6	held	hold	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	boat	boat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **hold** | past | the tension in the rope | the boat |  |  |  |  | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent boat=Theme |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Surface tension lets a pond skater walk on water.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tension:x3:1
# text = Surface tension lets a pond skater walk on water.
1	Surface	surface	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	compound	_	_
2	tension	tension	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	lets	let	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	pond	pond	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	compound	_	_
6	skater	skater	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
7	walk	walk	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	ccomp	_	_
8	on	on	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	water	water	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **let** | present | Surface tension |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **walk** | present | a pond skater |  |  | water |  |  | vn run-51.3.2-2-1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme on water=Trajectory |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The writer builds tension with short sentences.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tension:x4:1
# text = The writer builds tension with short sentences.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	writer	writer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	builds	build	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	tension	tension	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
5	with	with	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	short	short	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	sentences	sentence	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **build** | present | the writer | tension |  |  |  | with short sentences | vn base-97.1 «NP V NP PP.source»: agent=Agent tension=Theme with sentence=Source |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Stretching helps to ease tension in your neck.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tension:x5:1
# text = Stretching helps to ease tension in your neck.
1	Stretching	stretch	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	2	nsubj	_	_
2	helps	help	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	to	to	PART	TO	_	4	mark	_	_
4	ease	ease	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	xcomp	_	_
5	tension	tension	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
6	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	8	nmod:poss	_	_
8	neck	neck	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **stretch** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn bend-45.2 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |
| 2 | **help** | present |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn help-72.1-1-1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Theme |
| 3 | **ease** | to-infinitive |  | tension |  | your neck |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP V NP.patient»: agent=Agent tension=Patient |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
There was some tension between the two teams.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tension:x6:1
# text = There was some tension between the two teams.
1	There	there	PRON	EX	PronType=Dem	2	expl	_	_
2	was	be	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	some	some	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	4	det	_	_
4	tension	tension	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
5	between	between	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	two	two	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	8	nummod	_	_
8	teams	team	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **be** | past | some tension between the two teams |  |  | there |  |  | vn exist-47.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Tighten the string to increase the tension.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tension:x7:1
# text = Tighten the string to increase the tension.
1	Tighten	tighten	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	string	string	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	increase	increase	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	1	advcl	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	tension	tension	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **tighten** | imperative | you *not said here* | the string |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP V NP.patient»: agent=Agent string=Patient |
| 2 | **increase** | to-infinitive | you *not said here* | the tension |  |  |  |  | vn caused\_calibratable\_cos-45.6.2-1 «NP V NP.patient»: agent=Causer tension=Patient |

<!-- div src -->

**Text:** the school dictionary of Mova's schools (`world/data/dictionary-schools/`), written for Mova. **Trees:** Mova's own parse — the `en` model on the CPU, when the site is built — not checked by a teacher; they may be wrong. **Frames:** Mova's frames reader (`prag`), each meaning and example read on its own. Elamur Cosmic License.

<!-- /div -->

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