An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics

Existing or occurring in a high or extreme degree. See also → tense.

Etymology (EN): From M.Fr. intense, from L. intensus “stretched, strained, tight,” originally p.p. of intendere “to stretch out, strain,” from in- “toward” + tendere “to stretch;” from PIE base *ten- “to stretch;” cf. Pers. tanidan “to spin, twist, weave,” as below.

Etymology (PE): âtanu, from â- affirmative prefix + tanu “stretched, strained,” from tan + -u suffix of excess. The middle element tan, from tanidan
“to spin, twist, weave” (Mid.Pers. tanitan; Av. tan- to stretch, extend;" cf. Skt. tan- to spin, stretch;" tanoti “stretches,” tantram “loom;” Gk. teinein “to stretch, pull tight;” L. tendere “to stretch;”
PIE base *ten- “to stretch”), Pers. târ “string,” tân “thread,” tur “fishing net, net, snare,” and tâl “thread” (Borujerdi dialect) belong to this family; variants tanta “cobweb,” tanadu, tafen, kartané, kârtané, kâtené,
Pashtu tanistah “cobweb;” cf. Skt. tantu- “cobweb, thread, string”).