Etymology : Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin intensus, from past participle of intendere to stretch out
Pronunciation : in-ten(t)s
Function : adjective
Date : 15th century
1. extreme, great, powerful, high; strong, profound, deep; acute, severe. intense\in*tense"\ , a. [l. intensus stretched, tight, p. p. of intendere to stretch: cf. f. intense. see:
intend, and cf. intent, and cf. intent, a.].
2. strained; tightly drawn; kept on the stretch; strict; very close or earnest; as, intense study or application; intense thought.
3. extreme in degree; excessive; immoderate; as: (a) ardent; fervent; as, intense heat. (b) keen; biting; as, intense cold. (c) vehement; earnest; exceedingly strong; as, intense passion or hate. (d) very severe; violent; as, intense pain or anguish. (e) deep; strong; brilliant; as, intense color or light. in this intense seclusion of the forest.intense adj.
4. in an extreme degree; "intense heat"; "intense anxiety,"; "intense desire"; "intense emotion"; "the skunk's intense acrid odor"; "intense pain"; "enemy fire was intense" [ant: mild].
5. extremely sharp or intense; "acute pain"; "felt acute annoyance"; "intense itching and burning" [syn: acute].
6. (of color) having the highest saturation; "vivid green"; "intense blue" [syn: vivid].
7. Strained; tightly drawn; kept on the stretch; strict; very close or earnest; as, intense study or application; intense thought.
8. Extreme in degree; excessive; immoderate; as: Ardent; fervent; as, intense heat. Keen; biting; as, intense cold. Vehement; earnest; exceedingly strong; as, intense passion or hate. Very severe; violent; as, intense pain or anguish. Deep; strong; brilliant; as, intense color or light. having the highest saturation; "vivid green"; "intense blue" in an extreme degree; "intense heat"; "intense anxiety"; "intense desire"; "intense emotion"; "the skunk's intense acrid odor"; "intense pain"; "enemy fire was intense".
9. 1. Intense is used to describe something that is very great or extreme in strength or degree. He was sweating from the intense heat His threats become more intense, agitated, and frequent. + intensely in·tense·ly The fast-food business is intensely competitive. + intensity intensities in·ten·sity The attack was anticipated but its intensity came as a shock.
10. If you describe an activity as intense, you mean that it is very serious and concentrated, and often involves doing a great deal in a short time. The battle for third place was intense.
11. If you describe the way someone looks at you as intense, you mean that they look at you very directly and seem to know what you are thinking or feeling. I felt so self-conscious under Luke's mother's intense gaze = piercing + intensely in·tense·ly He sipped his drink, staring intensely at me.
12. If you describe a person as intense, you mean that they appear to concentrate very hard on everything that they do, and they feel and show their emotions in a very extreme way. I know he's an intense player, but he does enjoy what he's doing + intensity in·ten·sity His intensity and the ferocity of his feelings alarmed me.