Phrase Hound found 25 phrases and 16 compound words that contain tense. The most common are listed below. Open tense in the live search for definitions, filters, and the full list.
Phrases 25
- past tenseA grammatical form (often a verb form) that refers to an event, transaction, occurrence, or object that happened (or had happened), or existed, at some time before now (the applicable reference time).
- present tenseA grammatical tense whose principal function is to locate a situation or event in the present time.
- future tenseThe tense or time form of a verb used to refer to an event or occurrence that has not yet happened or is expected to happen in the future.
- pluperfect tenseTense of a verb used when referring to something that happened before a past setting or the imperfect; formed in English by adding had before the past participle of a verb, or by adding had been before the present participle of the verb.
- conditional tenseThe conditional mood.
- simple tenseIn English, the tense of a verb which is used specifically in the simple aspect--that is, the verb alone does not indicate whether the action is complete or habitual--and is usually used independently of any auxiliary verbs, with the known …
- aorist tenseA grammatical category in some languages expressing perfective aspect and past tense of verbs; the aorist.
- preterite tenseA verb tense indicating action in the past and marked by verb inflection; the preterite.
- continuous tenseA verb tense expressing ongoing action; in English, any of the tenses formed with the present participle, namely present continuous ("I am dreaming"), past continuous ("I was dreaming"), present perfect continuous ("I have been dreaming") …
- tense vowelA vowel produced with relative constriction of the vocal tract.
- past historic tenseA tense used in some languages (such as French and Italian) in narrative, and in spoken language primarily when reading narrative or in storytelling, for completed actions in the past or in speaking of the deceased.
- absolute tenseThe grammatical expression of time reference relative to now, the exact moment of speaking.
- compound tenseA tense or tense-like verb form that is constructed analytically, i.e. with an auxiliary verb added (like the perfect tense in English or French), not synthetically (through simple inflection of a base form). Contrasted with a simple tense …
- perfect tenseA verb form indicating that an action or state has been completed at the present time, in the past, or shall be completed in the future.
- progressive tenseSynonym of continuous tense: A verb tense expressing ongoing action; in English, any of the tenses formed with the present participle, namely present continuous ("I am dreaming"), past continuous ("I was dreaming"), present perfect …
- relative tenseA grammatical expression of time reference relative to a different point in time, at the moment being considered in the context.
- tense harmonySynonym of consecutio temporum: A set of grammatical rules of a particular language, governing the agreement between the tenses of verbs in related clauses or sentences; agreement between tenses of verbs in accordance with said set of …
- imperfect tenseA tense used to describe a past action that is ongoing, incomplete or continuous, or coincident with another action.
- tense vowelsplural of tense vowel: A vowel produced with relative constriction of the vocal tract.
- past imperfect tenseA grammatical tense which expresses the past as an action which was still going on at the point in time described, say someone "was ...ing" something, as opposed to the already accomplished counterpart past perfect tense (where the action …
- hodiernal tenseReferring to events of today, in an absolute tense, or of the day under consideration, in a relative tense.
- primary tenseIn Latin, the present or future tense.
- secondary tenseIn Latin, the perfect, imperfect or pluperfect tense.
- supine tenseA verb form, used together with a form of the auxiliary verb ha (to have) to create the perfect and pluperfect tenses.
- tense upTo become tense.
Compound words 16
- tensorA muscle that tightens or stretches a part, or renders it tense.
- detenseSynonym of untense: Not tense.
- tensalof or pertaining to grammatical tense
- tensibleCapable of being extended or drawn out; ductile; tensile.
- untenseNot tense.
- overtenseExcessively tense.
- tensificationThe process by which a consonant becomes tense, as in Korean.
- ultratenseExtremely tense.
- pretenseThe action of pretending; false or simulated show or appearance; false or hypocritical assertion or representation.
- HortenseA female given name from French.