Tense, a. Stretched tightly; strained to stiffness; rigid; not lax; as, a tense fiber.
The temples were sunk, her forehead was tense, and a fatal paleness was upon her. --Goldsmith.
-- Tense*ly, adv. -- Tense*ness, n.
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tensely
adv : in a tense manner; "he sat down tensely"