frequently_asked_questions_files/Oxford Thesaurus.pdf

theme, thread, implication, inference, intent, purpose,
tendency, purport, direction: The general tenor of Mark's
letters was unfriendly.
tense adj. 1 taut, strained, stiff, under tension, rigid: One could
see how tense the muscles were under the skin. 2 intense,
nervous, anxious, under (a) strain, highly-strung, high-strung,
strained, on edge, wrought up, keyed up, worked up, taut, on
tenterhooks, apprehensive, distressed, upset, disturbed,
worried, edgy, on pins and needles, jumpy, fidgety, overwrought,
Colloq wound up, jittery, having a case of the jitters, Brit
strung up, US strung out, Slang uptight, US antsy: Try to relax
and not be so tense. 3 nervous, anxious, worrying, worrisome,
distressing, disturbing, stressful, nerve-racking or
nerve-wracking, fraught, disquieting: Those were tense moments
while we waited for the winner's name to be posted.
--v. 4 tighten, stretch, strain, tauten, tension: The mast
will be secure once the stays have been tensed.
tension n. 1 stress, tightness, tautness, strain, pull, traction,
pressure, tenseness, force: Can this cable withstand so much
tension? 2 nervousness, anxiety, anxiousness, strain, edginess,
apprehension, suspense, tautness, distress, upset, worry,
jumpiness, fidgetiness, Colloq jitteriness, (a case of) the
jitters: I could feel the tension building among the audience.
tentative adj. 1 experimental, speculative, exploratory, probative,
trial, provisional: We have tentative plans for introducing a
new work methodology. 2 unsure, hesitant, uncertain,
indecisive, cautious, timid, shy, diffident, uneasy,
apprehensive: The child gave him a tentative smile, not knowing
what to expect.
tenuous adj. 1 thin, slender, thin, fine, attenuated, delicate,
gossamer, diaphanous, fragile: The spider descended slowly on
its tenuous thread. 2 flimsy, insubstantial or unsubstantial,
paltry, weak, feeble, frail, meagre, vague, negligible,
insignificant, trifling, sketchy, hazy, nebulous, dubious,
doubtful, shaky: Your case rests on very tenuous evidence.
tenure n. 1 possession, holding, occupancy, incumbency, tenantry,
tenancy, occupation, residency, residence: The laws on tenure