Rigid past perhaps (5)

I believe the answer is:

tense

This clue is a double definition.

'rigid' is the first definition.
(I've seen this before)

'past perhaps' is the second definition.
(grammar)

(Other definitions for tense that I've seen before include "past possibly" , "contract" , "Anxious, nervous" , "Strained - form of verb" , "Nerve-racking" .)

I've seen this clue in The Hindu.

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