tender Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun something that can be used as an official medium of payment
    legal tender; stamp.
  2. noun someone who waits on or tends to or attends to the needs of another
    attendant; attender.
  3. noun a formal proposal to buy at a specified price
    bid.
  4. noun car attached to a locomotive to carry fuel and water
  5. noun a boat for communication between ship and shore
    pinnace; ship's boat; cutter.
  6. noun ship that usually provides supplies to other ships
    supply ship.
  7. verb offer or present for acceptance
  8. verb propose a payment
    bid; offer.
    • The Swiss dealer offered $2 million for the painting
  9. verb make a tender of; in legal settlements
  10. verb make tender or more tender as by marinating, pounding, or applying a tenderizer
    tenderise; tenderize.
    • tenderize meat
  11. adjective given to sympathy or gentleness or sentimentality
    • a tender heart
    • a tender smile
    • tender loving care
    • tender memories
    • a tender mother
  12. adjective satellite hurting
    raw; sensitive; sore.
    • the tender spot on his jaw
  13. adjective satellite young and immature
    • at a tender age
  14. adjective satellite having or displaying warmth or affection
    lovesome; affectionate; fond; warm.
    • affectionate children
    • a fond embrace
    • fond of his nephew
    • a tender glance
    • a warm embrace
  15. adjective easy to cut or chew
    • tender beef
  16. adjective physically untoughened
    untoughened.
    • tender feet
  17. adjective satellite (used of boats) inclined to heel over easily under sail
    cranky; tippy; crank.
  18. adjective satellite (of plants) not hardy; easily killed by adverse growing condition
    • tender green shoots

WordNet

Tend"er noun
Etymology
From Tend to attend. Cf. Attender.
Definitions
  1. One who tends; one who takes care of any person or thing; a nurse.
  2. (Naut.) A vessel employed to attend other vessels, to supply them with provisions and other stores, to convey intelligence, or the like. submarine tender, a ship which provides supplies and logistic support to submarines. A specialization of def. 2.
  3. A car attached to a locomotive, for carrying a supply of fuel and water.
Ten"der transitive verb
Etymology
F. tendre to stretch, stretch out, reach, L. tendere. See Tend to move.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Tendered ; present participle & verbal noun Tendering
Definitions
  1. (Law) To offer in payment or satisfaction of a demand, in order to save a penalty or forfeiture; as, to tender the amount of rent or debt.
  2. To offer in words; to present for acceptance.
    You see how all conditions, how all minds, . . . tender down Their services to Lord Timon. Shak.
Ten"der noun
Definitions
  1. (Law) An offer, either of money to pay a debt, or of service to be performed, in order to save a penalty or forfeiture, which would be incurred by nonpayment or nonperformance; as, the tender of rent due, or of the amount of a note, with interest. ✍ To constitute a legal tender, such money must be offered as the law prescribes. So also the tender must be at the time and place where the rent or debt ought to be paid, and it must be to the full amount due.
  2. Any offer or proposal made for acceptance; as, a tender of a loan, of service, or of friendship; a tender of a bid for a contract.
    A free, unlimited tender of the gospel. South.
  3. The thing offered; especially, money offered in payment of an obligation. Shak. 4. (Finance) An offer to buy a certain number of shares of stock of a publicly-traded company at a fixed price, usu. in an attempt to gain control of the company.
Ten"der adjective
Etymology
F. tendre, L. tener; probably akin to tenuis thin. See Thin.
Wordforms
comparative Tenderer ; superlative Tenderest
Definitions
  1. Easily impressed, broken, bruised, or injured; not firm or hard; delicate; as, tender plants; tender flesh; tender fruit.
  2. Sensible to impression and pain; easily pained.
    Our bodies are not naturally more tender than our faces. L'Estrange.
  3. Physically weak; not hardly or able to endure hardship; immature; effeminate.
    The tender and delicate woman among you. Deut. xxviii. 56.
  4. Susceptible of the softer passions, as love, compassion, kindness; compassionate; pitiful; anxious for another's good; easily excited to pity, forgiveness, or favor; sympathetic.
    The Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy. James v. 11.
    I am choleric by my nature, and tender by my temper. Fuller.
  5. Exciting kind concern; dear; precious.
    I love Valentine, Whose life's as tender to me as my soul! Shak.
  6. Careful to save inviolate, or not to injure; -- with of. "Tender of property." Burke.
    The civil authority should be tender of the honor of God and religion. Tillotson.
  7. Unwilling to cause pain; gentle; mild.
    You, that are thus so tender o'er his follies, Will never do him good. Shak.
  8. Adapted to excite feeling or sympathy; expressive of the softer passions; pathetic; as, tender expressions; tender expostulations; a tender strain.
  9. Apt to give pain; causing grief or pain; delicate; as, a tender subject. "Things that are tender and unpleasing." Bacon.
  10. (Naut.) Heeling over too easily when under sail; -- said of a vessel. ✍ Tender is sometimes used in the formation of self-explaining compounds; as, tender-footed, tender-looking, tender-minded, tender-mouthed, and the like. Syn. -- Delicate; effeminate; soft; sensitive; compassionate; kind; humane; merciful; pitiful.
Ten"der noun
Etymology
Cf. F. tendre.
Definitions
  1. Regard; care; kind concern. Obs. Shak.
Ten"der transitive verb
Definitions
  1. To have a care of; to be tender toward; hence, to regard; to esteem; to value. Obs.
    For first, next after life, he tendered her good. Spenser.
    Tender yourself more dearly. Shak.
    To see a prince in want would move a miser's charity. Our western princes tendered his case, which they counted might be their own. Fuller.

Webster 1913