Collocations for tension - noun
1. inability to relax
ADJ.
inner | emotional, muscle/muscular, nervous, pre-menstrual, sexual
He suffers from nervous tension.
He suffers from nervous tension.
VERB + TENSION
feel, suffer from
I feel some tension in my shoulders.
I feel some tension in my shoulders.
sense
As soon as he entered, he sensed a tension in the air.
As soon as he entered, he sensed a tension in the air.
cause, create | relieve | release
TENSION + NOUN
headache
PREP.
~ in
The hot bath eased the tension in his body.
The hot bath eased the tension in his body.
PHRASES
a release of tension
Laughter can be a great release of tension.
Laughter can be a great release of tension.
a sign of tension
Horses are very sensitive to signs of tension in humans.
Horses are very sensitive to signs of tension in humans.
2. bad feeling between people, countries, etc.
ADJ.
considerable, great, high
More police have been sent to areas of high political tension.
More police have been sent to areas of high political tension.
slight | growing, heightened, increased, increasing, mounting | constant | unresolved | renewed | ethnic, political, racial, religious, social | communal, family, internal, international, national, regional
VERB + TENSION
cause, create, generate | defuse, ease, reduce
She often used humour to defuse tension in meetings.
She often used humour to defuse tension in meetings.
heighten
TENSION + VERB
build up, grow, increase, mount, rise | ease | be palpable
PREP.
~ among
The tension among the audience was palpable.
The tension among the audience was palpable.
~ between
tension between local youths and the police
tension between local youths and the police
~ in/within
The redundancies caused greater tensions within the company.
The redundancies caused greater tensions within the company.
~ over
There has been increased tension over the border incident.
There has been increased tension over the border incident.
~ with
renewed tension with France
renewed tension with France
PHRASES
a source of tension
Money was always a source of tension between her parents.
Money was always a source of tension between her parents.
3. of rope, wire, etc.
ADJ.
string
VERB + TENSION
adjust
This oldracket needs its string tension adjusted.
This oldracket needs its string tension adjusted.
release
PREP.
in ~
The metal is weak in tension.
The metal is weak in tension.
under ~
Stay clear of cables which are under tension.
Stay clear of cables which are under tension.
~ on
The sudden tension on the line told me I had hooked a fish.
The sudden tension on the line told me I had hooked a fish.