adjective
1.
soft or delicate in substance; not hard or tough: a tender steak.
2.
weak or delicate in constitution; not strong or hardy.
3.
(of plants) unable to withstand freezing temperatures.
4.
young or immature: children of tender age.
5.
EXPANDdelicate or soft in quality: tender blue.
6.
delicate, soft, or gentle: the tender touch of her hand.
7.
easily moved to sympathy or compassion; kind: a tender heart.
8.
affectionate or loving; sentimental or amatory: a tender glance.
9.
considerate or careful; chary or reluctant (usually followed by of).
10.
acutely or painfully sensitive: a tender bruise.
11.
easily distressed; readily made uneasy: a tender conscience.
12.
yielding readily to force or pressure; easily broken; fragile.
13.
of a delicate or ticklish nature; requiring careful or tactful handling: a tender subject.
14.
COLLAPSENautical. crank2 (def. 1).
verb (used with object)
15.
to make tender.
16.
Archaic. to regard or treat tenderly.
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Tenderer
is always a great word to know.
So is doohickey. Does it mean:
| a scrap or morsel of food left at a meal. |
| a gadget; dingus; thingumbob. |
Origin:
1175–1225; Middle English, variant of tendre < Old French < Latin tenerum, accusative of tener tender
1175–1225; Middle English, variant of tendre < Old French < Latin tenerum, accusative of tener tender
Related forms
ten·der·ly, adverb
ten·der·ness, noun
self-ten·der·ness, noun
un·ten·der·ly, adverb
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Link To tenderer
Collins
World English Dictionary
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History
tender
"person who tends another," c.1470, probably an agent noun formed from M.E. tenden "attend to" (see tend (2)); later extended to locomotive engineers (1825) and barmen (1883). The meaning "small boat used to attend larger ones" first recorded 1675.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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American Heritage
Medical Dictionary
tender ten·der (těn'dər)
adj. ten·der·er, ten·der·est
Easily crushed or bruised; fragile.
Easily hurt; sensitive.
Painful; sore.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Cite This Source
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