Tense is a grammatical concept that refers to the form of a verb that allows us to express time. It is a way to indicate when an event or action happened or when a person did something. Tenses are important in communication because they help us clearly indicate the time at which something has happened. In English, there are three main types of tenses: past, present, and future.

Tense can also refer to a state of being stretched tight or rigid. For example, a person can feel tense when they are nervous and worried and unable to relax. A situation can also be tense if it causes feelings of worry or nervousness.

In summary, tense is a grammatical concept that refers to the form of a verb that allows us to express time, and it can also refer to a state of being stretched tight or rigid.