Related Clues:

• Lacking give
• Like piano strings
• Gave lessons, reportedly tight
• Jeer with any number leaving stressed
• By the sound of it, worked in education, far from relaxed
• Greek character tense and strained
• Like strung guitar strings
• Tense, as is pupil in audition
• Like a tug-of-war rope
• At a breaking point, maybe
• Like a suspenseful thriller
• Greek character actor -- essentially without play
• Unlikely to droop
• Tense time with old academics?
• Strained sound of rebuke muffling answer