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Tennessee Walking Horse
tennis
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tense (2)

tense [ tenss ] (plural tens·es)


noun 
Definition:
 
verb forms expressing time: one of the sets of forms of a verb that express the different times at which action takes place relative to the speaker or writer, e.g. the present, past, or future
in the future tense

[14th century. Via Old French tens "time" < Latin tempus]

tense·less adjective

Word Usage

Strictly speaking, the English language has only two tenses, the present (go, eat, die) and the past (went, ate, died). All other expressions of time are formed by combining auxiliary verbs with the present participle, past participle, or infinitive, as in the progressive or continuous aspect (I was going), the perfect or perfective aspect (They have eaten), and the future (He will die). They are, however, commonly referred to as tenses.

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