tender

comparative tenderer · superlative tenderest

1. Sensitive or painful to the touch.

   Be careful: that area is tender.

   2006, Shrek, spoken by Shrek (Mike Myers)

   1 more example

   […]poore Lord, is't I That chaſe thee from thy Countrie, and expoſe Thoſe tender limbes of thine[…]

   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]

2. Easily bruised or injured; not firm or hard; delicate.

   tender flesh

   2 more examples

   tender plants

   tender fruit

3. Physically weak; not able to endure hardship.

   the tender and delicate woman among you

   1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Deuteronomy 28:56

4. Soft and easily chewed.

   The Matrix is telling my brain this steak is tender, succulent, and juicy.

   2001, Joey Pantolino (character), The Matrix (movie)

5. Sensible to impression and pain; easily pained.

   Our Bodies are not naturally more Tender than our Faces.

   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

6. Fond, loving, gentle, or sweet.

   Suzanne was such a tender mother to her children.

   3 more examples

   You, that are thus so tender o'er his follies, Will never do him good.

   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]

   The Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.

   1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, James 5:11

   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.

   1645, Thomas Fuller, “Personall Meditations”, in Good Thoughts in Bad Times, […], Exeter, Devon: […] Thomas Hunt, →OCLC, section II, page 3

7. Young and inexperienced.

   I first had a girlfriend at the tender age of seven.

   2 more examples

   And you of tender years can't know the fears that your elders grew by.

   1970, Graham Nash, “Teach Your Children”

   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[…].

   2001 October 15, Appeals Court of Illinios (Second District) in Appelhans v. McFall

8. Adapted to excite feeling or sympathy; expressive of the softer passions; pathetic.

   tender expressions; tender expostulations; a tender strain

   1 more example

   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; […]

   1850, [Alfred, Lord Tennyson], “Canto XX”, in In Memoriam, London: Edward Moxon, […], →OCLC, page 33

9. Apt to give pain; causing grief or pain; delicate.

   a tender subject

   1 more example

   Things that are tender and unpleasing.

   1625, Francis [Bacon], “Of Cunning”, in The Essayes […], 3rd edition, London: […] Iohn Haviland for Hanna Barret, →OCLC

10. nauticalHeeling over too easily when under sail; said of a vessel.
11. obsoleteExciting kind concern; dear; precious.

    I love Valentine, Whose life's as tender to me as my soul!

    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]

12. obsoleteCareful to keep inviolate, or not to injure; used with of.

    tender of property

    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

    1 more example

    The civil authority should be tender of the honour of God and religion.

    a. 1694, John Tillotson, The Advantages of Religion to Societies

plural tenders

1. countableobsoleteuncountableCare, kind concern, regard.

   Stay, and breath awhile. Thou haſt redeem'd thy loſt opinion And ſhew'd thou makeſt ſome tender of my life In this faire reſcue thou haſt brought to mee.

   c. 1597 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The First Part of Henry the Fourth, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene iv], page 72, column 1

2. countableuncountableThe inner flight muscle (pectoralis minor) of poultry.

comparative more tender · superlative most tender

1. tenderly

   Love me tender, love me sweet Never let me go

   1956, Ken Darby, “Love Me Tender”, performed by Elvis Presley

present singular third person tenders · participle present tendering · participle past tendered · past tendered

1. archaicTo make tender or delicate; to weaken.

   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[…].

   1621, Democritus Junior [pseudonym; Robert Burton], The Anatomy of Melancholy, New York: New York Review Books, published 2001, →ISBN, page 233

   1 more example

   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.

   c. 1947, Putnam Fadeless Dyes [flyer packaged with granulated dye]

2. archaicTo feel tenderly towards; to regard fondly or with consideration.

   And ſo good Capulet, which name I tender As dearely as my owne, be ſatisfied.

   c. 1591–1595 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Romeo and Ivliet”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene i]

   2 more examples

   The angrie king hath banished me the court: And therefore as thou louest and tendrest me, Be thou my aduocate vnto these peeres.

   1594, Christopher Marlow[e], The Troublesome Raigne and Lamentable Death of Edward the Second, King of England: […], London: […] [Eliot’s Court Press] for Henry Bell, […], published 1622, →OCLC, (please specify the page)

   Firſt, heauen be the record to my ſpeech, In the deuotion of a ſubiects loue, Tendering the precious ſafetie of my Prince, And free from other misbegotten hate, Come I appealant to rhis [sic] Princely preſence.

   1595 December 9 (first known performance), William Shakespeare, “The Life and Death of King Richard the Second”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene 1], page 23, column 1

plural tenders

1. rail transportA specialized rail wagon hauled behind a steam engine to carry fuel and water.

   Half the coal was out of the tender, half the fire out of the box, half the trucks were off the track, so violent was the stopping.

   1938, Xavier Herbert, chapter XII, in Capricornia, New York: D. Appleton-Century, published 1943, page 201

   1 more example

   Of locomotive interest was "an engine house for spare engines which was about 60 ft. × 51 ft.; on the outside of this was an immense turntable sufficient to turn the engine and tender at once."

   1944 July and August, Reginald B. Fellows, “The Failure of Bricklayers Arms as a Passenger Station—I”, in Railway Magazine, page 211

2. nauticalA naval ship that functions as a mobile base for other ships.

   submarine tender

   1 more example

   destroyer tender

3. nauticalA smaller boat used for transportation between a large ship and the shore.

   The transfer by tender of some 1,300 mail bags was effected smartly, and the "Ocean Mails Special" train was ready at 9.19 a.m.

   1944 July and August, Charles E. Lee, “The "City of Truro"”, in Railway Magazine, page 202

   1 more example

   A passenger on Cunard's Queen Elizabeth died this week following an accident while boarding from a tender (the small boats that carry passengers from ship to shore or port when the cruise ship anchors at sea). […] Gangway ramps can, on occasion, break free of either the ship or the tender, causing passengers or crew to fall into the sea.

   2015 April 1, Teresa Machan, “Queen Elizabeth passenger dies boarding a cruise ship tender [print version: Queen Elizabeth passenger dies after boarding mishap, 4 April 2015, p. T5]”, in The Daily Telegraph (Travel), archived from the original on 13 Apr 2015

   Synonyms: dinghy

4. divingA member of a diving team who assists a diver during a dive but does not themselves go underwater.

   2 more examples

   Now, with scallop populations under pressure, Mr. Sewell is one of only about 30 active scallop divers left in his state. He and his tender, Jason Simmons, have harvested scallops together each winter and early spring for the past seven years. The rest of the year he catches bluefin tuna and dives for sea urchins.

   2015 August 18, Christoph Gelfand, “'Diving for Scallops'”, in The New York Times, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 25 Dec 2022

   The first of two willful violations OSHA found were the diver and dive tender "performing dredging operations in a canal with zero-visibility, did not have the experience and training in the use of tools, equipment, systems, techniques, and emergency procedures which are required to perform these underwater tasks in a safe manner."

   2022 October 19, David J. Neal, “Broward company 'ignored safety standards and a young worker has died,' OSHA says”, in Miami Herald, Miami, F.L.: McClatchy, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 22 Jun 2023

5. abbreviationellipsisEllipsis of water tender (“firefighting apparatus”).
6. archaic outside certain compoundsSomeone who tends or waits on something or someone.

present singular third person tenders · participle present tendering · participle past tendered · past tendered

1. To work on a tender.

   Meantime, I'll dig up what I can, but if they start fishing again, I start tendering.

   1998, Dana Stabenow, Killing Grounds, →ISBN, page 103

plural tenders

1. Anything which is offered, proffered, put forth or bid with the expectation of a response, answer, or reply.

   You offer me the sword of my father, the very man whose bones, because of your perfidy, lie under the sod of Crecy. Aye, I'll surely take it, and just as surely you shall die with your tender through your heart!

   1 more example

   Ophe[lia]. He hath my Lord of late made many tenders / Of his affection to me. / Pol[onius]. Affection, puh, you ſpeake like a greene girle / Vnſifted in ſuch perrilous circumſtance, / Do you belieue his tenders as you call them? / Ophe. I doe not knovve my Lord vvhat I ſhould thinke. / Pol. Marry I vvill teach you, thinke your ſelfe a babie / That you haue tane [taken] theſe tenders for true pay / VVhich are not ſterling, tender your ſelfe more dearely […]

   c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, The Tragicall Historie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke: […] (Second Quarto), London: […] I[ames] R[oberts] for N[icholas] L[ing] […], published 1604, →OCLC, [Act I, scene iii], signature [C4], verso

2. A means of payment such as a check or cheque, cash or credit card.

   legal tender

   1 more example

   Your credit card has been declined so you need to provide some other tender such as cash.

3. lawA formal offer to buy or sell something.

   We will submit our tender to you within the week.

4. Any offer or proposal made for acceptance.

   [...] 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.

   1598–1599 (first performance), William Shakespeare, “Much Adoe about Nothing”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene iii]

present singular third person tenders · participle present tendering · participle past tendered · past tendered

1. formalTo offer, to give.

   to tender one’s resignation

   3 more examples

   You see how all conditions, how all minds, […] tender down Their services to Lord Timon.

   c. 1605–1608 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Life of Tymon of Athens”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene i]

   1864 November 21, Abraham Lincoln (signed) or John Hay, letter to Mrs. Bixby in Boston I cannot refrain from tendering to you the consolation that may be found in the thanks of the Republic they died to save.

   Hank Mann Tenders You Holiday Greetings

   1920 December 25, Motion Picture News, volume XXIII, number 1, page 225

2. To offer a payment, as at sales or auctions; to bid.