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gespannt

taut, under tension

adjective ge-SHPANT Rare
Descriptions & Qualities Conditions

Also means

tense, eager (of a person)

Usage Note

Gespannt describes something held under tension — gespanntes Seil (taut rope), gespannte Muskeln (tense muscles). Applied to people, it means expectant or keenly attentive: gespannt auf etwas warten (to wait eagerly for something). Both uses are very common.

Examples

"Das Seil war so gespannt, dass es bei der kleinsten Belastung riss."

Natural Translation

The rope was so taut that it snapped at the slightest strain.

Literal Translation

The rope was so taut that it tore at the smallest load.

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