TENSE, TENSION
ADJECTIVES
1788 — WOUND — WOUND UP tense, anxious, on edge → sl.
1837 — EDGY nervous, irritable, tense → UK sl.
1870 — ON EDGE very tense, nervy, anxious → UK sl.
1891 — NERVY nervous; ill at ease; scared, cowardly, tense → sl.
..L19 — HEATED UP tense, nervous, angry, excited → sl.
..L19 — HET UP tense, nervous, angry, excited → sl.
1910 — ALL OF A WONK jumpy, nervous, tense → sl.
1910 — WOUND UP LIKE AN EIGHT-DAY CLOCK annoyed, tense and irritated → sl.
1910 — WOUNDY annoyed, tense and irritated → sl.
1934 — UPTIGHT nervous, anxious, tense → US
1959 — STRUNG OUT emotionally disturbed; psychologically tense and vulnerable → US sl.
1970 — WIRED — WIRED UP anxious, nervous, uptight; tense → Amer. sl.
1990 — UP tense, nervous → African-American sl.
NOUNS
1940 — HOTTING-UP an increase in tension, excitement, passion, etc.
2009 — CLUTCH a difficult or tense situation → Amer. sl. (Bk.)
NOUNS – PERSON
1972 — WHITE-KNUCKLER a person with an extreme fear of flying; a tense or anxious person → colloq.
PHRASES
1970 — BALLS TO THE WALLS said of a tense or frantic time or situation that requires the ability to fight back → US students’ sl.
VERBS
1970 — CLUTCH — CLUTCH UP to panic or become tense; to freeze with anxiety → US students’ sl. (Bk.)
Lexicophilia 