tender
Language: English
Part of speech: adj
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˈtɛn.də(ɹ)/
ipa: /ˈtɛn.dɚ/
ipa: /ˈtɛn.də/
rhymes: -ɛndə(ɹ)
homophone: tinder (pin–pen merger)
Forms: form: tenderer
form: tenderest
Etymology: From Middle English tender, tendere, from Anglo-Norman tender, Old French tendre, from Latin tener, tenerum (“soft, delicate”).
Senses: examples: text: […]poore Lord, is't I
That chaſe thee from thy Countrie, and expoſe
Thoſe tender limbes of thine[…]
ref: c. 1604–1605 (date written), William Shakespeare, “All’s Well, that Ends Well”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene ii]:
text: Be careful: that area is tender.
ref: 2006, Shrek, spoken by Shrek (Mike Myers):
glosses: Sensitive or painful to the touch.
examples: text: tender plants
text: tender flesh
text: tender fruit
glosses: Easily bruised or injured; not firm or hard; delicate.
examples: text: the tender and delicate woman among you
ref: 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Deuteronomy 28:56:
glosses: Physically weak; not able to endure hardship.
examples: text: The Matrix is telling my brain this steak is tender, succulent, and juicy.
ref: 2001, Joey Pantolino (character), The Matrix (movie)
glosses: Soft and easily chewed.
raw_tags: of food
examples: text: Our Bodies are not naturally more Tender than our Faces.
ref: 1692, Roger L’Estrange, “ (please specify the fable number.) (please specify the name of the fable.)”, in Fables, of Æsop and Other Eminent Mythologists: […], London: […] R[ichard] Sare, […], →OCLC:
glosses: Sensible to impression and pain; easily pained.
examples: text: Suzanne was such a tender mother to her children.
text: You, that are thus so tender o'er his follies,
 Will never do him good.
ref: c. 1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Winters Tale”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene iii]:
text: The Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.
ref: 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, James 5:11:
text: Lord. VVHen thou ſhalt viſit me vvith a ſharp diſeaſe, I fear I ſhall be impatient. For I am Cholerick by my Nature, and tender by my Temper, and have not been acquainted vvith Sickneſſe all my life time.
ref: 1645, Thomas Fuller, “Personall Meditations”, in Good Thoughts in Bad Times, […], Exeter, Devon: […] Thomas Hunt, →OCLC, section II, page 3:
glosses: Fond, loving, gentle, or sweet.
examples: text: I first had a girlfriend at the tender age of seven.
text: And you of tender years can't know the fears that your elders grew by.
ref: 1970, Graham Nash, “Teach Your Children”:
text: The court later expressly adopted the tender years doctrine, which states that a child is incapable of contributory negligence if he is less than seven years old[…].
ref: 2001 October 15, Appeals Court of Illinios (Second District) in Appelhans v. McFall
glosses: Young and inexperienced.
examples: text: tender expressions; tender expostulations; a tender strain
text: The lesser griefs that may be said,
⁠That breathe a thousand tender vows,
⁠Are but as servants in a house
Where lies the master newly dead; […]
ref: 1850, [Alfred, Lord Tennyson], “Canto XX”, in In Memoriam, London: Edward Moxon, […], →OCLC, page 33:
glosses: Adapted to excite feeling or sympathy; expressive of the softer passions; pathetic.
examples: text: a tender subject
text: Things that are tender and unpleasing.
ref: 1625, Francis [Bacon], “Of Cunning”, in The Essayes […], 3rd edition, London: […] Iohn Haviland for Hanna Barret, →OCLC:
glosses: Apt to give pain; causing grief or pain; delicate.
topics: nautical
transport
glosses: Heeling over too easily when under sail; said of a vessel.
examples: text: I love Valentine,
 Whose life's as tender to me as my soul!
ref: c. 1590–1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Two Gentlemen of Verona”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene iv]:
glosses: Exciting kind concern; dear; precious.
examples: text: tender of property
ref: 1790 November, Edmund Burke, Reflections on the Revolution in France, and on the Proceedings in Certain Societies in London Relative to that Event. […], London: […] J[ames] Dodsley, […], →OCLC:
text: The civil authority should be tender of the honour of God and religion.
ref: a. 1694, John Tillotson, The Advantages of Religion to Societies:
glosses: Careful to keep inviolate, or not to injure; used with of.
Synonyms: sense: yielding, delicate
word: nesh
Derived terms: chicken tender
fork-tender
frost-tender
tenderfoot
tender-handed
tenderhearted
tenderise
tenderize
tender loving care
TLC
tenderly
tenderminded
tenderness
tenderoni
tender porcelain
tender years doctrine