intense

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   possessing or displaying a distinctive feature to a heightened degree

   intense heat

2. 2
   adj

   Of a characteristic: extreme or very high or strong in degree; severe; also, excessive, towering.

   Nor was I yet able to passe through any of the narrower streets, but kept the widest; the ground and air, smoake and fiery vapour, continu'd so intense that my haire was almost sing'd, and my feete unsufferably surbated.

3. 3
   adj

   Of a thing: possessing some characteristic to an extreme or very high or strong degree.

   [T]h' intense atom glows / A moment, then is quenched in a most cold repose.

4. 4
   adj

   Of feelings, thoughts, etc.: strongly focused; ardent, deep, earnest, passionate.

   intense study

5. 5
   adj

   Of a person: very emotional or passionate.

   The artist was a small, intense man with piercing blue eyes.

6. 6
   adj

   (of color) having the highest saturation

7. 7
   adj

   extremely sharp or intense

8. 8
   adj

   Under tension; tightly drawn; strained, stressed, tense.

Etymology

From Late Middle English intens, intense (“ardent, fervent; extreme, great, intense”), borrowed from Old French intense (modern French intense), or directly from its etymon Latin intēnsus (“strained, stretched tight; intense; attentive; violent; (rare) eager, intent”), the perfect passive participle of intendō (“to stretch out, strain”), from in- (prefix meaning ‘in, inside, within’) + tendō (“to extend, stretch”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *tend- (“to extend, stretch”)).