Crossword Genius

Maybe tense people beset by its forebodings (13)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

presentiments

'forebodings' is the definition.
('presentiment' can be a synonym of 'foreboding')

'maybe tense people beset by its' is the wordplay.
'maybe tense' becomes 'present'.
'people' becomes 'men' (man is a kind of person).
'beset by' indicates putting letters inside ('beset' could historically mean 'cover').
'men' put into 'its' is 'iments'.
'present'+'iments'='PRESENTIMENTS'

I've seen this clue in The Times.
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