Tender

Pronunciation

• UK IPA: /ˈtÉ›n.dÉ™(ɹ)/
• US IPA: /ˈtÉ›n.dÉš/
• NY IPA: /ˈtÉ›n.dÉ™/
• Rhymes: -É›ndÉ™(r)
• Hyphenation: ten + der
• Homophones: tinder pin-pen merger

From Old French tendre, from Latin tener ("soft, delicate").

Full definition of tender

Adjective

1. Sensitive or painful to the touch.
• 1597, William Shakespeare, All's Well that Ends Well, 3,2:...poore Lord, is't I
  That chaſe thee from thy Countrie, and expoſe
  Thoſe tender limbes of thine...
• 2006, Mike Myers (as the voice of the title character), Shrek (movie)Be careful: that area is tender.
2. Easily bruised or injured; not firm or hard; delicate.tender plants; tender flesh; tender fruit
3. Physically weak; not able to endure hardship.
• Bible, Deuteronomy xxviii. 56the tender and delicate woman among you
4. (of food) Soft and easily chewed.
• 2001, Joey Pantolino (character), The Matrix (movie)The Matrix is telling my brain this steak is tender, succulent, and juicy.
5. Sensible to impression and pain; easily pained.
• L'EstrangeOur bodies are not naturally more tender than our faces.
6. Fond, loving, gentle, sweet.Suzanne was such a tender and sweet mother to her children.
• Bible, James v. 11The Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.
• ShakespeareYou, that are thus so tender o'er his follies,
  Will never do him good.
• FullerI am choleric by my nature, and tender by my temper.
7. Adapted to excite feeling or sympathy; expressive of the softer passions; pathetic.tender expressions; tender expostulations; a tender strain
8. Apt to give pain; causing grief or pain; delicate.a tender subject
• Francis BaconThings that are tender and unpleasing.
9. (nautical) Heeling over too easily when under sail; said of a vessel.
10. (obsolete) Exciting kind concern; dear; precious.
• ShakespeareI love Valentine,
  Whose life's as tender to me as my soul!
11. (obsolete) Careful to keep inviolate, or not to injure; used with of.
• Burketender of property
• TillotsonThe civil authority should be tender of the honour of God and religion.

Synonyms

Derived terms

• chicken tender
• tenderise, tenderize
• tenderly
• tenderness
• tender loving care, TLC
• tenderfoot

Verb

1. (now rare) To make tender or delicate; to weaken.
• 1621, Robert Burton, The Anatomy of Melancholy, vol. I, New York 2001, p. 233:To such as are wealthy, live plenteously, at ease, ... these viands are to be forborne, if they be inclined to, or suspect melancholy, as they tender their healths ....
• circa 1947 Putnam Fadeless Dyes packaged with granulated dye:Putnam Fadeless Dyes will not injure any material. Boiling water does tender some materials. ... Also, silk fibers are very tender when wet and care should be take not to boil them too vigorously.
2. to feel tenderly towards; to regard fondly.
• 1597, William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet, 3,1 (First Folio edition):And Å¿o good Capulet, which name I tender
  As dearely as my owne, be Å¿atisfied.

Noun

1. (obsolete) regard; care; kind concern
• Shakespeare Henry 4-1|VThou makest some tender of my life
  In this fair rescue thou hast brought to me.
2. The inner flight muscle (pectoralis minor) of poultry.

From tend + -er.

Noun

1. (obsolete) Someone who tends or waits on someone.
2. (rail transport) A railroad car towed behind a steam engine to carry fuel and water.
3. (nautical) A naval ship that functions as a mobile base for other ships.submarine tenderdestroyer tender
4. (nautical) A smaller boat used for transportation between a large ship and the shore.

Synonyms

• (smaller boat) dinghy

Related terms

• (one who tends) bartender

From Middle French tendre ("stretch out").

Verb

1. (formal) To offer, to give.to tender one’s resignation
• ShakespeareYou see how all conditions, how all minds, ... tender down
  Their services to Lord Timon.
• 1864 November 21, Abraham Lincoln (signed) or John Hay, letter to Mrs. Bixby in BostonI cannot refrain from tendering to you the consolation that may be found in the thanks of the Republic they died to save.
2. to offer a payment, as at sales or auctions.In business law, a tender offer is an invitation to shareholders of a corporation to tender, or exchange, their shares in return for a monetary buy-out.

Synonyms

• offer

Derived terms

• tenderable
• to tender something out

Noun

1. A means of payment such as a check or cheque, cash or credit card.Your credit card has been declined so you need to provide some other tender such as cash.
2. (legal) A formal offer to buy or sell something.We will submit our tender to you within the week.
3. Any offer or proposal made for acceptance.
• 1599, William Shakespeare, ,... if she should make tender of her love, 'tis very possible he'll scorn it; for the man,—as you know all,—hath a contemptible spirit.

Anagrams

• enter'd, entred, rented