Dictionary

tender en · ADJ · etymology 1

Pronunciation

• [ˈtʰɪ̟n.dɚ] ~ [ˈtʰɪ̟n.dɹ̩] Southern US, African-American Vernacular, pin–pen merger
• (US) audio
• /ˈtɛn.dɚ/ (General-American)
• /ˈtɪn.dɚ/ Southern US, African-American Vernacular, pin–pen merger
• /ˈtɛn.dəː/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• [ˈtʰɛn.dɚ] ~ [ˈtʰɛn.dɹ̩] (General-American)
• [ˈtʰɛn.dəː] (Received-Pronunciation)

Etymology

From Middle English tender, tendere, from Anglo-Norman tendre, Old French tendre, from Latin tener, tenerum (“soft, delicate”).

Meanings

1. Sensitive or painful to the touch.
   • Be careful: that area is tender. 2006, Shrek, spoken by Shrek (Mike Myers):
   • […]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 fruit
   • tender plants
   • tender flesh
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. (of food) 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.
   • 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:
   • The Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy. 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, James 5:11:
   • Suzanne was such a tender mother to her children.
   • 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]:
7. Young and inexperienced.
   • I first had a girlfriend at the tender age of seven.
   • 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
   • 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.
   • Things that are tender and unpleasing. 1625, Francis [Bacon], “Of Cunning”, in The Essayes […], 3rd edition, London: […] Iohn Haviland for Hanna Barret, →OCLC:
   • a tender subject
10. Heeling over too easily when under sail; said of a vessel.
11. (obsolete) Exciting 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. (obsolete) Careful to keep inviolate, or not to injure; used with of.
    • The civil authority should be tender of the honour of God and religion. a. 1694, John Tillotson, The Advantages of Religion to Societies:
    • 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:

Forms

Deriveds

intender · tenderling · tenderish · fork-tender · tender loving care · tender years doctrine · chicken tender · tenderqueer · tenderly · tenderfoot · tenderise · frost-tender · tenderhearted · tendersome · overtender · tenderometer · tenderfooted · entender · tenderoni · TLC · tenderful · tenderization · tenderness · tenerity · tenderize · tenderloin · nontender · tender porcelain · tenderminded · ultratender · tenderstem · untender · tender-handed

Synonyms

nesh (yielding, delicate)

Translations (165)

tr hassas (easy damaged, delicate) · mi tāngohengohe (soft and easily chewed) · hu gyenge (soft and easily chewed) · sh njȅžan (fond, loving, gentle, sweet) · ro fraged (soft and easily chewed) · de zart (soft and easily chewed) · bg деликатен (easy damaged, delicate) · be не́жны (fond, loving, gentle, sweet) · ro dulce (fond, loving, gentle, sweet) · ru не́жный (soft and easily chewed) · uk ласка́вий (fond, loving, gentle, sweet) · fi murea (soft and easily chewed) · hu gyengéd (fond, loving, gentle, sweet) · ota نازك (easy damaged, delicate) · bg не́жен (fond, loving, gentle, sweet) · ru уязви́мый (sensitive or painful) · fi arka (sensitive or painful) · fur tenar (soft and easily chewed) · cmn 溫柔 /温柔 (sensitive or painful) · sk nežný (fond, loving, gentle, sweet) · fa ترد (soft and easily chewed) · ga mín (fond, loving, gentle, sweet) · gl melosiño (fond, loving, gentle, sweet) · de nachgiebig (soft and easily chewed) · fr tendre (fond, loving, gentle, sweet) · cs něžný (fond, loving, gentle, sweet) · gl agarimoso (fond, loving, gentle, sweet) · ca tendre (soft and easily chewed) · sv öm (fond, loving, gentle, sweet) · sl nežen (fond, loving, gentle, sweet) · ro gentil (fond, loving, gentle, sweet) · sv ömtålig (easy damaged, delicate) · de lieb (fond, loving, gentle, sweet) · uk тенді́тний (soft and easily chewed) · tr gevrek (soft and easily chewed) · mi mateoha (fond, loving, gentle, sweet) · pt terno (sensitive or painful) · grc ἁπαλός (easy damaged, delicate) · oc tendre (fond, loving, gentle, sweet) · it tenero (soft and easily chewed) · be даліка́тны (fond, loving, gentle, sweet) · nl zacht (fond, loving, gentle, sweet) · bg чуствителен (sensitive or painful) · da øm (sensitive or painful) · sh ње̏жан (fond, loving, gentle, sweet) · sa मृदु (easy damaged, delicate) · mi tāngohengohe (sensitive or painful) · cs citlivý (fond, loving, gentle, sweet) · sv ljuv (fond, loving, gentle, sweet) · mnc ᠨᡝᠮᡝᠶᡝᠨ (fond, loving, gentle, sweet) · ga muirneach (fond, loving, gentle, sweet) · pl delikatny (soft and easily chewed) · cs láskyplný (fond, loving, gentle, sweet) · sa कोमल (easy damaged, delicate) · oc tendre (soft and easily chewed) · nl gevoelig (sensitive or painful) · yue 嫩 (soft and easily chewed) · pt macio (soft and easily chewed) · mk благ (fond, loving, gentle, sweet) · fr tendre (soft and easily chewed) · it carino (fond, loving, gentle, sweet) · nl zacht (soft and easily chewed) · es tierno (fond, loving, gentle, sweet) · sh не̏жан (fond, loving, gentle, sweet) · nn møyr (soft and easily chewed) · da øm (fond, loving, gentle, sweet) · ca tendre (fond, loving, gentle, sweet) · izh herkkä (easy damaged, delicate) · got 𐌸𐌻𐌰𐌵𐌿𐍃 (easy damaged, delicate) · gl trevo (sensitive or painful) · de empfindlich (sensitive or painful) · tr çıtkırıldım (easy damaged, delicate) · la tener (fond, loving, gentle, sweet) · ru не́жный (sensitive or painful) · ga grámhar (fond, loving, gentle, sweet) · fi aristava (sensitive or painful) · de zart (sensitive or painful) · ja 過敏 (sensitive or painful) · it morbido (soft and easily chewed) · sah нарын (sensitive or painful) · ja 柔らかい (soft and easily chewed) · tr sevecen (fond, loving, gentle, sweet) · it tenero (fond, loving, gentle, sweet) · ktu petepete (fond, loving, gentle, sweet) · la tener (sensitive or painful) · gl olmo (soft and easily chewed) · eo tenera (fond, loving, gentle, sweet) · de liebevoll (fond, loving, gentle, sweet) · cs citlivý (sensitive or painful) · nn mør (soft and easily chewed) · bg уязвим (sensitive or painful) · ro iubit (fond, loving, gentle, sweet) · izh hellä (sensitive or painful) · bg крехък (easy damaged, delicate) · gl madioso (soft and easily chewed) · fi hellä (fond, loving, gentle, sweet) · cs choulostivý (easy damaged, delicate) · ca tendre (sensitive or painful) · sv mör (soft and easily chewed) · ja 優しい (fond, loving, gentle, sweet) · uk ні́жний (fond, loving, gentle, sweet) · ru не́жный (fond, loving, gentle, sweet) · es tierno (sensitive or painful) · cs jemný (soft and easily chewed) · bg мек (soft and easily chewed) · eo mola (soft and easily chewed) · lb zaart (fond, loving, gentle, sweet) · it soffice (soft and easily chewed) · cs křehký (easy damaged, delicate) · tr kıtır (soft and easily chewed) · gl tenro (sensitive or painful) · gl tenro (soft and easily chewed) · ru чувстви́тельный (sensitive or painful) · lb zaart (soft and easily chewed) · cmn 嫩 (soft and easily chewed) · et hell (fond, loving, gentle, sweet) · it sensibile (sensitive or painful) · tr narin (sensitive or painful) · mi pāwera (sensitive or painful) · ga armacach (fond, loving, gentle, sweet) · sv öm (sensitive or painful) · ru хру́пкий (easy damaged, delicate) · uk ні́жний (soft and easily chewed) · it delicato (sensitive or painful) · sh nȅžan (fond, loving, gentle, sweet) · ru ла́сковый (fond, loving, gentle, sweet) · be пяшчо́тны (fond, loving, gentle, sweet) · nl mals (soft and easily chewed) · la tener (easy damaged, delicate) · cmn 精緻 /精致 (easy damaged, delicate) · nb mør (soft and easily chewed) · uk деліка́тний (soft and easily chewed) · oc tendre (sensitive or painful) · sl blȃg (fond, loving, gentle, sweet) · fr tendre (sensitive or painful) · de zart (fond, loving, gentle, sweet) · bg ла́скав (fond, loving, gentle, sweet) · bo འཇམ་པོ (fond, loving, gentle, sweet) · mk нежен (fond, loving, gentle, sweet) · it dolce (fond, loving, gentle, sweet) · lb zaart (sensitive or painful) · da mør (soft and easily chewed) · tr müşfik (fond, loving, gentle, sweet) · txb lalaṃṣke (easy damaged, delicate) · gl tenreiro (fond, loving, gentle, sweet) · gl solermiño (fond, loving, gentle, sweet) · de zärtlich (fond, loving, gentle, sweet) · mi ngaore (soft and easily chewed) · ga frithir (sensitive or painful) · fr sensible (sensitive or painful) · pl czuły (fond, loving, gentle, sweet) · gl dondio (soft and easily chewed) · de sensibel (sensitive or painful) · gl mol (soft and easily chewed) · cs měkký (soft and easily chewed) · pt terno (fond, loving, gentle, sweet) · es tierno (soft and easily chewed) · be ласка́вы (fond, loving, gentle, sweet) · nl lief (fond, loving, gentle, sweet) · ru делика́тный (easy damaged, delicate) · es cariñoso (fond, loving, gentle, sweet) · be даліка́тны (soft and easily chewed) · pl pieszczotliwy (fond, loving, gentle, sweet) · es dolorido (sensitive or painful) · pt tenro (soft and easily chewed)

tender en · NOUN · etymology 1

Pronunciation

• [ˈtʰɪ̟n.dɚ] ~ [ˈtʰɪ̟n.dɹ̩] Southern US, African-American Vernacular, pin–pen merger
• (US) audio
• /ˈtɛn.dɚ/ (General-American)
• /ˈtɪn.dɚ/ Southern US, African-American Vernacular, pin–pen merger
• /ˈtɛn.dəː/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• [ˈtʰɛn.dɚ] ~ [ˈtʰɛn.dɹ̩] (General-American)
• [ˈtʰɛn.dəː] (Received-Pronunciation)

Etymology

From Middle English tender, tendere, from Anglo-Norman tendre, Old French tendre, from Latin tener, tenerum (“soft, delicate”).

Meanings

1. (countable, obsolete, uncountable) Care, 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. (countable, uncountable) The inner flight muscle (pectoralis minor) of poultry.

Forms

tender en · ADV · etymology 2

Pronunciation

• [ˈtʰɪ̟n.dɚ] ~ [ˈtʰɪ̟n.dɹ̩] Southern US, African-American Vernacular, pin–pen merger
• (US) audio
• /ˈtɛn.dɚ/ (General-American)
• /ˈtɪn.dɚ/ Southern US, African-American Vernacular, pin–pen merger
• /ˈtɛn.dəː/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• [ˈtʰɛn.dɚ] ~ [ˈtʰɛn.dɹ̩] (General-American)
• [ˈtʰɛn.dəː] (Received-Pronunciation)

Etymology

From Middle English tender, tendur, tendir, tendre, from the adjective (see above).

Meanings

1. tenderly
   • Love me tender, love me sweet Never let me go 1956, Ken Darby, “Love Me Tender”, performed by Elvis Presley:

Forms

tender en · VERB · etymology 3

Pronunciation

• [ˈtʰɪ̟n.dɚ] ~ [ˈtʰɪ̟n.dɹ̩] Southern US, African-American Vernacular, pin–pen merger
• (US) audio
• /ˈtɛn.dɚ/ (General-American)
• /ˈtɪn.dɚ/ Southern US, African-American Vernacular, pin–pen merger
• /ˈtɛn.dəː/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• [ˈtʰɛn.dɚ] ~ [ˈtʰɛn.dɹ̩] (General-American)
• [ˈtʰɛn.dəː] (Received-Pronunciation)

Etymology

From Middle English tendren, from the adjective (see above).

Meanings

1. (archaic) To 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 […]. , vol.I, New York, 2001, p.233
   • 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. (archaic) To feel tenderly towards; to regard fondly or with consideration.
   • 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:
   • 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]:
   • 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):

Forms

tender en · NOUN · etymology 4

Pronunciation

• [ˈtʰɪ̟n.dɚ] ~ [ˈtʰɪ̟n.dɹ̩] Southern US, African-American Vernacular, pin–pen merger
• (US) audio
• /ˈtɛn.dɚ/ (General-American)
• /ˈtɪn.dɚ/ Southern US, African-American Vernacular, pin–pen merger
• /ˈtɛn.dəː/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• [ˈtʰɛn.dɚ] ~ [ˈtʰɛn.dɹ̩] (General-American)
• [ˈtʰɛn.dəː] (Received-Pronunciation)

Etymology

From tend + -er. Compare attender (“one who attends”).

Meanings

1. A specialized rail wagon hauled behind a steam engine to carry fuel and water.
   • 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:
   • 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:
2. A naval ship that functions as a mobile base for other ships.
   • submarine tender
   • destroyer tender
3. A 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:
   • 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:
4. A member of a diving team who assists a diver during a dive but does not themselves go underwater.
   • 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. (abbreviation, alt-of, ellipsis) Ellipsis of water tender (“firefighting apparatus”).
   alt of water tender
6. (qualifier:archaic outside certain compounds) Someone who tends or waits on something or someone.

Forms

Deriveds

buoy tender · tender locomotive · nursetender · basetender · budtender · bridgetender · seaplane tender · balloon tender · pretender · bartender (one who tends) · tender-first · brake tender · goaltender · tenderful · tenderpreneur · switchtender · sub tender · tender loco · crash tender · water tender · tenderman (smaller boat used for transportation, naval ship that functions as a mobile base) · firetender · tender cab · airship tender · gatetender · tender engine

Hypernyms

person

Synonyms

dinghy

Translations (28)

it scialuppa (nautical: a boat used for transportation btw a ship and the shore) · pl tender (nautical: ship functioning as mobile base for other ships) · cs tendr (fuel-carrying rail wagon) · bg те́ндер (fuel-carrying rail wagon) · bg плаваща база (nautical: ship functioning as mobile base for other ships) · gl esquife (nautical: a boat used for transportation btw a ship and the shore) · es ténder (fuel-carrying rail wagon) · ru те́ндер (fuel-carrying rail wagon) · es esquife (nautical: a boat used for transportation btw a ship and the shore) · ja 炭水車 (fuel-carrying rail wagon) · pt tênder (fuel-carrying rail wagon) · es vagón nodriza (fuel-carrying rail wagon) · it carro di rifornimento (fuel-carrying rail wagon) · ru плавучая ба́за (nautical: ship functioning as mobile base for other ships) · it tender (fuel-carrying rail wagon) · nl tender (fuel-carrying rail wagon) · de Tender (fuel-carrying rail wagon) · pl tender (fuel-carrying rail wagon) · it carro di scorta (fuel-carrying rail wagon) · fi yhteysvene (nautical: a boat used for transportation btw a ship and the shore) · it carboniera (fuel-carrying rail wagon) · fi tenderi (fuel-carrying rail wagon) · da forsyningsskib (nautical: ship functioning as mobile base for other ships) · fi emälaiva (nautical: ship functioning as mobile base for other ships) · sv tender (fuel-carrying rail wagon) · gl chalupa (nautical: a boat used for transportation btw a ship and the shore) · de Tender (nautical: ship functioning as mobile base for other ships) · gl bote (nautical: a boat used for transportation btw a ship and the shore)

tender en · VERB · etymology 4

Pronunciation

• [ˈtʰɪ̟n.dɚ] ~ [ˈtʰɪ̟n.dɹ̩] Southern US, African-American Vernacular, pin–pen merger
• (US) audio
• /ˈtɛn.dɚ/ (General-American)
• /ˈtɪn.dɚ/ Southern US, African-American Vernacular, pin–pen merger
• /ˈtɛn.dəː/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• [ˈtʰɛn.dɚ] ~ [ˈtʰɛn.dɹ̩] (General-American)
• [ˈtʰɛn.dəː] (Received-Pronunciation)

Etymology

From tend + -er. Compare attender (“one who attends”).

Meanings

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:

Forms

tender en · NOUN · etymology 5

Pronunciation

• [ˈtʰɪ̟n.dɚ] ~ [ˈtʰɪ̟n.dɹ̩] Southern US, African-American Vernacular, pin–pen merger
• (US) audio
• /ˈtɛn.dɚ/ (General-American)
• /ˈtɪn.dɚ/ Southern US, African-American Vernacular, pin–pen merger
• /ˈtɛn.dəː/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• [ˈtʰɛn.dɚ] ~ [ˈtʰɛn.dɹ̩] (General-American)
• [ˈtʰɛn.dəː] (Received-Pronunciation)

Etymology

From Middle English tendren, from Old French tendre (“stretch out”).

Meanings

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!
   • 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.
   • Your credit card has been declined so you need to provide some other tender such as cash.
   • legal tender
3. A 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]:

Forms

Deriveds

texas tender · split tender · tender offer · e-tender

Relateds

put out to tender · put out for tender · legal tender

Translations (48)

pt licitação (law: an offer to buy or sell something) · ms sebut harga (law: an offer to buy or sell something) · es licitación (law: an offer to buy or sell something) · ru те́ндер (law: an offer to buy or sell something) · hi निविदा (means of payment) · sv betalningsmedel (means of payment) · it offerta (law: an offer to buy or sell something) · es propuesta (law: an offer to buy or sell something) · ru платёжное сре́дство (means of payment) · hi निविदा (law: an offer to buy or sell something) · bg платежно средство (means of payment) · es oferta (law: an offer to buy or sell something) · pl oferta f przetargowa (law: an offer to buy or sell something) · pt lance (law: an offer to buy or sell something) · it moneta (means of payment) · de Zahlungsmittel (means of payment) · id tender (law: an offer to buy or sell something) · de Ausschreibung (law: an offer to buy or sell something) · pl środek płatniczy (means of payment) · nl bod (law: an offer to buy or sell something) · it valuta (means of payment) · cs tendr (law: an offer to buy or sell something) · nb tilbud (law: an offer to buy or sell something) · it metodo di pagamento (means of payment) · fi tarjous (law: an offer to buy or sell something) · he היצע (law: an offer to buy or sell something) · sv offert (law: an offer to buy or sell something) · ro mijloc de plată (means of payment) · nl betalingsmiddel (means of payment) · ru предложе́ние (law: an offer to buy or sell something) · nb anbud (law: an offer to buy or sell something) · de Andienung (law: an offer to buy or sell something) · es medio de pago (means of payment) · da betalingsmiddel (means of payment) · bg оферта (law: an offer to buy or sell something) · fr offre (law: an offer to buy or sell something) · it gara d’appalto (law: an offer to buy or sell something) · ka შეთავაზება (law: an offer to buy or sell something) · fi maksuväline (means of payment) · nb betalingsmiddel (means of payment) · sv anbud (law: an offer to buy or sell something) · nl betaalmiddel (means of payment) · pt edital (law: an offer to buy or sell something) · cs platidlo (means of payment) · da tender (law: an offer to buy or sell something) · ka ტენდერი (law: an offer to buy or sell something) · ms tender (law: an offer to buy or sell something) · fr moyen de paiement (means of payment)

tender en · VERB · etymology 5

Pronunciation

• [ˈtʰɪ̟n.dɚ] ~ [ˈtʰɪ̟n.dɹ̩] Southern US, African-American Vernacular, pin–pen merger
• (US) audio
• /ˈtɛn.dɚ/ (General-American)
• /ˈtɪn.dɚ/ Southern US, African-American Vernacular, pin–pen merger
• /ˈtɛn.dəː/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• [ˈtʰɛn.dɚ] ~ [ˈtʰɛn.dɹ̩] (General-American)
• [ˈtʰɛn.dəː] (Received-Pronunciation)

Etymology

From Middle English tendren, from Old French tendre (“stretch out”).

Meanings

1. (formal) To offer, to give.
   • 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]:
   • Hank Mann Tenders You Holiday Greetings 1920 December 25, Motion Picture News, volume XXIII, number 1, page 225:
   • 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.
   • to tender one’s resignation
2. To offer a payment, as at sales or auctions; to bid.

Forms

Deriveds

tenderor · tender something out · tenderee · retender · tenderable

Synonyms

offer

Translations (22)

it dare (formal: to offer, give) · fi tarjota (to offer a payment) · nl bieden (to offer a payment) · it fare una offerta (to offer a payment) · pl składać (formal: to offer, give) · fi tarjota (formal: to offer, give) · mi tono (formal: to offer, give) · es ofrecer (formal: to offer, give) · fi esittää (formal: to offer, give) · it offrire (to offer a payment) · it sottoporre (formal: to offer, give) · it presentare (formal: to offer, give) · pl złożyć (formal: to offer, give) · sv bjuda (to offer a payment) · da indgive (formal: to offer, give) · bg подавам оферта (formal: to offer, give) · nl aanbieden (formal: to offer, give) · my တင်ဒါ (formal: to offer, give) · ru предлага́ть (formal: to offer, give) · sv erbjuda (formal: to offer, give) · it offrire (formal: to offer, give) · it battere (to offer a payment)