tensed

His expression tensed, lips held firmly shut over clenched teeth, then assumed a submissive position: head bowed, ears front and down, elbows out, and all fourteen fingers interlocked to show contrition.

Quozl Foster, Alan Dean, 1946- 1989

Then his expression tensed with the realization of what Flinx was telling him.

The End of the Matter Foster, Alan Dean, 1946- 1977

Then his expression tensed with the realization of what Flinx was telling him.

The End Of The Matter Foster, Alan Dean, 1946- 1977

Then his expression tensed with the realization of what Flinx was telling him.

The End of The Matter Foster, Alan Dean, 1946- 1977

Then his expression tensed with the realization of what Flinx was telling him.

The End of the Matter Foster, Alan Dean, 1946- 1977

Then his expression tensed with the realization of what Flinx was telling him.

The End of the Matter Foster, Alan Dean, 1946- 1977

CHUCK WRIGHT, EYEWITNESS: I was standing next to the atrium, and all of the sudden I heard these loud noises, like pop, pop, pop in a row and I immediately, I kind of tensed up, and I thought, what is that?

CNN Transcript Dec 6, 2007 2007

The second I said it I kind of tensed and told myself I should be humoring him, that I was a sixty-four-year-old man with high blood pressure and worse cholesterol and he looked like a cruiserweight boxer.

Asimov's Science Fiction 2004

Everybody tensed up in anticipation of Louie's inevitable punishment, but then a wonderful thing happened.

Charlie Carillo: On a Wing and a Prayer Charlie Carillo 2011

Everybody tensed up in anticipation of Louie's inevitable punishment, but then a wonderful thing happened.

Charlie Carillo: On a Wing and a Prayer Charlie Carillo 2011