Forms: 3–6 tendre, 4– tender; also 4 teyndir, 4–5 tendyr, -ere, 4–6 (chiefly Sc.) -ir, 5 -ire, -ur(e. [a. F. tendre (11th c.) = Pr. tenre, tendre, Sp. tierno, Pg. tenro, It. tenero:—L. tener-um (nom. tener) tender, delicate.]
A. adj. I. Literal and physical senses.
1. Soft or delicate in texture or consistence; yielding easily to force or pressure; fragile; easily broken, divided, compressed, or injured; of food, easily masticated, succulent. † Tender bread, newly baked bread (obs.).
Formerly (and still dial.) used in wide sense as a synonym of soft (e.g., of stone or coal).
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 114. Vor his fleschs was al cwic ase is þe tendre eien.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 18844 (Cott.). Forked fair þe chin he bare And tender berd wit mikel hare.
13[?]. E. E. Allit. P., B. 630. A calf … Þat watz tender & not toȝe.
13[?]. Coer de L., 3413. Eet theroff … As it wer a tendyr chycke.
c. 1400. Maundev., xxxiii. 150. Þe tendre erthe was remowed fra his place and þare become a valay, and þe hard erthe habade still.
1422. trans. Secreta Secret., Priv. Priv., 247. Tendyr brede makyd of the floure of Whete.
a. 1500. Sir Beues, 2529 (Pynson). Beuys … hyt the dragon vnder the wynge,… There was he tender wythout skale.
1596. Dalrymple, trans. Leslie’s Hist. Scot. (S.T.S.), I. 26. The Skout … being sodin,… is maist tendir.
1650. Bulwer, Anthropomet., 186. Their bones being yet tender, soft, and cartilaginious.
1697. Dryden, Virg. Georg., III. 501. The tender Grass, and budding Flower.
1787. Best, Angling (ed. 2), 39. He bites very freely, but is often lost when struck, his mouth being very tender.
1793. Smeaton, Edystone L., § 272. Moorstone … being a tender kind of stone in respect to the union of its component parts.
1832. Lyell, Princ. Geol., II. 281. Many tender and fragile shells.
1881. Binns, Guide Worc. Porcelain., Wks. (1883), 24. The ware up to this point … is most tender, and can only be handled with the greatest care.
fig. c. 1386. Chaucer, Merch. T., 946. I haue … a soule for to kepe … and also myn honour And of my wyfhod, thilke tendre flour.
1709. Steele & Swift, Tatler, No. 67, ¶ 12. There is Nothing of so tender a Nature as the Reputation and Conduct of Ladies.
b. Of the ground: Soft with moisture; easily giving way beneath the feet; ‘rotten.’ dial.
1789. Trans. Soc. Arts, VII. 68. Some of the lands are so tender, that a board or patten … is fixed to each foot of every horse.
1904. Eng. Dial. Dict., s.v. (Warwick), Behand Spetchley the roads was very tender.
c. Tender porcelain: soft porcelain; see quots.
1839. Ure, Dict. Arts, 1021. There are two species of porcelain…; the one is called hard, and the other tender. Ibid., 1022. Tender porcelain, styled also vitreous porcelain … always consists of a vitreous frit, rendered opaque and less fusible by the addition of a calcareous and marly clay.
1884. Knight, Dict. Mech., Suppl., Tender porcelain, a soft body porcelain made in Europe.
† 2. Frail, thin, fine, slender. Obs. rare.
1390. Gower, Conf., III. 52. The happes over mannes hed Ben honged with a tendre thred.
1703. Moxon, Mech. Exerc., 208. That … it draw not the thin and tender Blade of the Hook into it.
II. Transferred from I.
3. Of weak or delicate constitution; not strong, hardy, or robust; unable or unaccustomed to endure hardship, fatigue, or the like; delicately reared, effeminate.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 112. Godes fleschs … þet was inumen of þe tendre meidene.
1297. R. Glouc. (Rolls), 6441. Non byleued nere, Bote is tueye ȝonge sones, þat so feble & tendre were.
1340. Ayenb., 31. Þou ne miȝt naȝt do þe greate penonces. Þou art to tendre.
1382. Wyclif, Deut. xxviii. 56. A tendre womman and a delicate.
1484. Caxton, Fables of Æsop, V. x. I shalle not ete the, For thow sholdest hurte my tendre stomak.
1535. Coverdale, Susanna, 31. Now Susanna was a tender person, and maruelous fayre of face.
1552. Huloet, Tender man not able to indure hardnes, effæminatus.
a. 1627. Middleton, More Dissemblers, III. i. A tender, puling, nice, chitty-fac’d squal ’tis.
1859. Tennyson, Enid, 395. To stoop and kiss the tender little thumb, That crost the trencher as she laid it down.
b. Of animals or plants: Delicate, easily injured by severe weather or unfavorable conditions; not hardy; needing protection. Cf. HARDY a. 4 b.
1614. Markham, Cheap Husb., VII. xvii. (1668), 121. Turkies when they are young are very tender to bring up.
1657. Austen, Fruit Trees, I. 56. The May-Cherries are tender, the Trees must be set in a warm place.
1791. E. Darwin, Bot. Gard., I. Note xiv. 27. The bulbs … are found in the perennial herbaceous plants which are too tender to bear the cold of the winter.
1796. C. Marshall, Garden., xii. (1813), 161. Fig trees will mostly survive hard winters, when in standards,… though shoots trained to a wall are tenderer.
c. dial. In delicate health, weakly, frail.
1645. R. Baillie, Lett. to G. Young, 8 July. Mr. Henderson is much tenderer than he wont.
1747. Wesley, Prim. Physic (1762), p. xviii. Tender People should have those … who are much about them sound and healthy.
1818. Scott, Hrt. Midl., v. I had been tender a’ the simmer, and scarce ower the door o’ my room for twal weeks.
1864. Ld. Houghton, Lett., in Life (1891), II. 124. It keeps me rather ‘tender’ and nervous.
4. Having the weakness and delicacy of youth; not strengthened by age or experience; youthful, immature. Chiefly in phrases tender age, years (also † tender of age).
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. (1810), 252. He was tendre & ȝing.
13[?]. E. E. Allit. P., A. 412. I watz ful ȝong & tender of age.
1454. Rolls of Parlt., V. 242/1. An Acte made in the tendre age of the Kyng.
1539. Bible (Great), Gen. xxxiii. 13. My Lorde, Thou knowest, that the chyldren are tendre.
1563. Homilies, II. Sacrament, II. (1859), 449. The true Christians in the tender time of Christ’s Church called this Supper Love.
1586. Lett. Earle Leycester, 8. Infected with Poperie from her tender youth.
1610. Holland, Camden’s Brit. (1637), 250. He departed this life in his tender yeares.
1732. Berkeley, Alciphr., I. § 5. Early instruction instilled into our tender minds.
1844. Ld. Brougham, Brit. Const., xix. § 3 (1862), 332. The great evil of imprisoning boys and girls of a tender age.
5. In reference to color or light (rarely, sound): Of fine or delicate quality or nature; soft, subdued; not deep, strong, or glaring.
1503. Dunbar, Thistle & Rose, 50. The purpour sone, with tendir bemys reid.
c. 1694. Prior, Celia to Damon, 67. The tender accents of a woman’s cry Will pass unheard.
1754. Gray, Pleasure, 8. April … Scatters his freshest, tenderest green.
1812. J. Wilson, Isle of Palms, I. 19. A zone of dim and tender light.
1894. Fenn, In Alpine Valley, I. 42. The tender green of the young ferns.
6. Of things immaterial, subjects, topics, etc.: Easy to be injured by tactless treatment; needing cautious or delicate handling; delicate, ticklish.
1625. Bacon, Ess., Cunning (Arb.), 437. In Things, that are tender and vnpleasing, it is good to breake the Ice, by some whose Words are of lesse weight.
1647. N. Bacon, Disc. Govt. Eng., I. vi. (1739), 14. The times were too tender to endure them to be declarative on either part.
1725. De Foe, Voy. round World (1840), 325. They considered not … upon what tender and ticklish terms their navigation stood.
1821. Scott, Kenilw., xi. Fearful of touching upon a topic too tender to be tampered with.
III. Tender toward or in regard to others.
7. Of an action or instrument: Not forcible or rough; gentle, soft; acting or touching gently.
1340–70. Alex. & Dind., 952. In tendere touchinge of þing & tastinge of swete.
1592. Shaks., Ven. & Ad., 353. Her other tender hand his faire cheeke feeles: His tendrer cheeke, receiues her soft hands print.
1602. Marston, Antonio’s Rev., III. i. I presse you softly with a tender foote.
a. 1628. Preston, Breastpl. Faith (1630), 128. The smoking Flax, he did blow with a tender breath to kindle it more, hee dealt not roughly with it.
1833. Coleridge, Table-t., 30 Aug. The more exquisite and delicate a flower of joy, the tenderer must be the hand that plucks it.
† b. Easy; not ‘hard’ or difficult. Obs. rare–1.
13[?]. Gaw. & Gr. Knt., 2436. How tender hit is to entyse teches of fylþe.
8. Of persons, their feelings, or the expression of these: Characterized by, exhibiting, or expressing delicacy of feeling or susceptibility to the gentle emotions; kind, loving, gentle, mild, affectionate.
The tender passion or sentiment, sexual love.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 24245 (Cott.). Mi suet moder, tender of hert.
c. 1375. Sc. Leg. Saints, vi. (Thomas), 444. Synciane, þat wes vorthy, & tendir frende to mygdony.
c. 1420. Brut, 346. He kept þat office but iiij wokis, because he was so tendir and gentill vn-to þe cetezens of London.
1534. More, Treat. Passion, Wks. 1273/1. The wily wrech perceiued … the tender mynde that the man had to hys make.
1535. Coverdale, Ps. xxiv. [xxv.] 6. Call to remembrance, O Lorde, thy tender mercies & thy louing kindnesses.
1576. in Feuillerat, Revels Q. Eliz. (1908), 416. In tendre consideracion wherof may yt please your honour.
1691. T. H[ale], Acc. New Invent., p. cxxiii. Seamen … are entitled to a more tender Protection from the Crown than other Subjects are.
1775. Sheridan, Duenna, I. iii. I delight in the tender passions.
1848. Thackeray, Van. Fair, xxxvii. His little sisters, in whose welfare she still took the tenderest interest.
1867. Athenæum, 20 July, 77/2. The rivalry of the class-room is unfavourable to the tender sentiment.
† b. transf. That is the object of tender feeling; tenderly loved; dear, beloved, precious. Obs.
c. 1450. Holland, Howlat, 439. As his tenderest and deir In his maist misteir.
1485. Sc. Acts Jas. III. (1814), II. 171/1. His hienes has diuers tymez … maid supplicacioun … for þe promocioun of his tendir clerk & consalour.
1591. Shaks., Two Gent., V. iv. 37. How I loue Valentine, Whose life’s as tender to me as my soule.
1611. Bible, Prov. iv. 3. Tender and onely beloued in the sight of my mother [Coverd. tenderly beloved of my mother].
† c. Sc. Nearly related, akin; esp. in phrase tender of blood. Obs.
1508. Dunbar, Poems, vii. 15. Welcum our tendir blude of hie parage.
1565. Q. Mary, in Keith, Hist. (1734), App. 103. Lady Margaret Countes of Lennox, being alswa sa tendir of Blude to hir Majestie.
1630–56. Sir R. Gordon, Hist. Earls Sutherland (1813), 125 One who wes so tender of kinred and blood to him.
9. Tender of (for, on behalf of, etc.): Careful of the welfare of; careful to preserve from harm or injury; considerate of, thoughtful for; fond of.
c. 1305. St. Kenelm, 136, in E. E. P. (1862), 51. His norice … Tendre was of þis child, for heo him hadde deorest iboȝt.
c. 1340. Richard Rolle of Hampole, Prick of Conscience, 905. Whar-to þan es man … Swa tendre of his vile body?
a. 1400–50. Alexander, 3317. Be tendire of my kniȝtis.
1551. T. Wilson, Logike (1580), 33. Then should all Capitaines … be tender ouer their poore warriours and base Soldiours.
1605. Bacon, Adv. Learn., I. iii. § 10. Some person, tender on the behalf of philosophy, reproved Aristippus.
1643. Declar. Lords & Com., in Rushw., Hist. Coll. (1721), V. 45. The Priviledges of Parliament, which the Contrivers … seem to be so tender of.
1709. Swift, Vind. Bickerstaff, ¶ 1. I am too tender of his reputation to publish them.
1783. Burke, Affairs India, Wks. XI. 334. Mr. Barwell … ought to have been tender for his honour.
1868. Rogers, Pol. Econ., xvii. (1876), 240. So tender is the legislature of his interest.
b. Solicitous or careful to avoid or prevent something; chary of; scrupulous, cautious, circumspect; reluctant, loth. Const. of, in.
1651. N. Bacon, Disc. Govt. Eng. II. xxvii. (1739), 120. He [Henry VIII.] was tender of the least diminution of his Honour, industrious in finding out the occasion, and a most resolved man to remove it out of the way, though it reached as high as the Triple Crown.
1656. Finett, For. Ambass., 41. I was tender in taking any course without his Lordship’s directions.
1667. Pepys, Diary, 28 Oct. I confess, I am sorry to find him so tender of appearing.
1729. Law, Serious C., xxiii. (1732), 478. Very tender in censuring and condemning other people.
1840. Lady C. Bury, Hist. Flirt, xix. Her heart should be tender of ridiculing their suffering.
IV. Easily affected, sensitive.
10. Sensitive to, or easily affected by, external physical forces or impressions; spec. † a. Having a delicate or finely sensitive perception of smell.
c. 1410, 1700. [see tender-nosed in C.].
1445. trans. Claudian, in Anglia, XXVIII. 277. As blode houndys with her tendir nose tel thingis or thei appiere.
1593. Shaks., Lucr., 695. Looke as the full-fed Hound, or gorged Hawke, Vnapt for tender smell, or speedie flight.
b. Sensitive in relation to bodily feeling or touch.
c. 1600. Shaks., Sonn., cxli. 6. I doe not loue thee with mine eyes…. Nor are mine eares with thy toungs tune delighted, Nor tender feeling to base touches prone.
1715. Desaguliers, Fires Impr., 43. The difference between the Action of Cold Air upon animate and tender, or inanimate and insensible Bodies.
c. spec. Acutely sensitive to pain; painful when touched; easily hurt.
[1613. Shaks., Hen. VIII., II. ii. 144. But Conscience, Conscience; O ’tis a tender place, and I must leaue her.]
1709. [implied in TENDERNESS 3].
1799. Med. Jrnl., I. 159. The tumor being hard, and very tender.
1898. Allbutt’s Syst. Med., V. 749. The skin over the pericardium was tender and sensitive.
† d. Of scales for weighing: Delicate, sensitive.
1665–6. Phil. Trans., I. 232. If I had had … tender Scales.
e. Of a ship: Leaning over too easily under sail-pressure; crank, not ‘stiff.’
1722. De Foe, Col. Jack (1840), 190. The ship … was leaky and tender.
1726. Shelvocke, Voy. round World, 5. I told them, ‘if the ship was tender, it was caus’d by her being pester’d so much aloft.’
1823. Scoresby, Jrnl. Whale Fish., 293. We found the ship so tender (yielding greatly to the influence of the wind), that we could scarcely carry sail.
1899. F. T. Bullen, Log Sea-waif, 201. We … slid gently down the coast under easy sail, the vessel being ‘tender’ from scanty allowance of ballast.
f. Of a horse: To go tender, to go as if lame or sore-footed and unable to put down his foot freely.
1849. Lever, R. Cashel, II. 269. I defy any one to know whether a horse goes tender, while galloping in deep ground.
11. Susceptible to moral or spiritual influence; impressionable, sympathetic; sensitive to pious emotions. Now chiefly in phrase ‘tender conscience’; formerly also of persons.
c. 1586. Bryskett, Mourn. Muse Thestylis, 55. Your teares a hart of flint Might tender make.
[1613: see sense 10 c.]
1655. Fuller, Ch. Hist., II. vi. § 21. The sight of him made all tender Beholders Cripples by Sympathie.
1660. Chas. II., Declar. fr. Breda. We do declare a Liberty to tender Consciences.
1672. G. Fox, Jrnl. The people being generally tender and open.
1685. Evelyn, Mrs. Godolphin, 46. I found her … all in feares, for never was Creature more devout and tender.
1728. P. Walker, Peden, Pref. (1827), 23. Which have made so many tender Christians to scruple and scunner to take the Food of their Souls out of their unclean Hands.
1788. Wesley, Wks. (1872), VII. 191. One of a tender conscience is exact in observing any deviation from the word of God, whether in thought, or word, or work.
1844. Ld. Brougham, Brit. Const., xvi. (1862), 250. The form of words used, out of regard to tender consciences.
† b. as adv. Tenderly, impressionably. Obs.
1424. Coventry Leet Bk., 96. That causyd the people the more & tenderer to her his prechyng.
12. Sensitive to injury; ready to take offence; ‘touchy.’ Obs. exc. as fig. from 10 c.
a. 1635. Naunton, Fragm. Reg. (Arb.), 46. On such trespasses she was quick and tender, and would not spare any whatsoever.
1645. Fuller, Good Th. in Bad T. (1841), 3. I am choleric by my nature and tender by my temper.
1749. Chesterf., Lett. (1792), II. 300. Men are in this respect tender too, and will sooner forgive an injury than an insult.
1857. Buckle, Civiliz., I. x. 613. The nobles, however, who felt that they had been aggrieved in their most tender point, were not yet satisfied.
† 13. transf. Sensitively felt; that touches sensitive feelings or emotions. Obs.
1705. Stanhope, Paraphr., I. 115. Which cannot but … make the Sense of present Sufferings more tender and afflicting.
1779. Mirror, No. 1 (1787), I. 5. A misfortune of the tenderest kind threw me, for some time, into retirement.
B. sb. [absolute use of the adj.]
† 1. Tender state or condition. Obs.
c. 1400. Brut, 254 Þat þe Kyng, for tendre of his age, shulde be gouernede be tuelf grete Lordes of Engeland.
a. 1691. Boyle, Hist. Air, xx. (1692), 196. Not only to blast the Fruit, but the very Leaves of such Trees … just in the Tender,… i. e. when they are newly expanded out of the Buds.
† 2. Tender feeling, tenderness. (Cf. TENDRE.) Obs.
1668. Dryden, Evening’s Love, V. i. To disengage my heart from this furious tender, which I have for him.
1710. Mrs. Centlivre, Man’s Bewitched, Pref. ’Tis Natural to have a kind of a Tender for our own Productions. Ibid., v. ad fin. I had a kind of a Tender for Dolly; but since she’s dispos’d of, I’ll stand as I do.
1742. Richardson, Pamela, IV. 113. Let the Musick express, as I may say, Love and the Tender, ever so much.
† 3. Tender consideration; care, regard, concern. (Cf. TENDER v.2 3.) Obs. rare.
1596. Shaks., 1 Hen. IV., V. iv. 49. Thou hast … shew’d thou mak’st some tender of my life In this faire rescue thou hast brought to mee. Ibid. (1605), Lear, I. iv. 230. The redresses … Which in the tender of a wholesome weale, Might in their working do you that offence.
C. Combinations; chiefly parasynthetic adjs., as tender-bearded, -bladed, -bodied, -bowelled, -faced, -hoofed, -hued, -minded, -natured, -pated, -personed, -skinned, -souled, -tempered, -witted, etc. Also, = tenderly, in tender-domestic, -imped, -looking, -taken adjs. Special Combs.: tender-dying a., dying young; tender-eared a. (fig.), sensitive to blame or criticism; tender-eyed a., (a) having tender or sore eyes; † (b) fond, doting, partial; tender-floss [FLOSS3]: see quot.; tender-foreheaded a., modest, ready to blush; † tender-hefted a., set in a delicate ‘haft’ or bodily frame; hence, womanly, gentle; tender-mouthed a., (a) of a horse: having a tender mouth, answering readily to the rein; † (b) fastidious, dainty, choice; (c) gentle in speaking, not harsh; † tender-nosed a., (a) keen-scented; (b) timid, timorous; tender-sided a. [? after crank-sided], = sense 10 e (Cent. Dict., 1891); † tender-skull, a variety of walnut; † tender-tinder, ? readily inflammable material (in quot. fig.). See also TENDER-CONSCIENCED, TENDERFOOT, etc.
1591. Sylvester, Du Bartas, I. iii. 296. A Tree, whose *tender-bearded Root being spred In dryest sand.
1804. trans. Ovid’s Remedy of Love, I. 102 (Jod.). The *tender-bladed grain, Shot up to stalk.
1607. Shaks., Cor., I. iii. 6. When yet hee was but *tender-bodied.
1650. Jer. Taylor, Holy Living (1727), 162. Be *tender-bowelled, pitiful, and gentle.
1849. Clough, Amours de Voy., I. 116. One of those natures Which have their perfect delight in the general *tender-domestic.
1591. Shaks., 1 Hen. VI., III. iii. 48. As lookes the Mother on her lowly Babe, When Death doth close his *tender-dying Eyes.
1529. More, Dyaloge, IV. Wks. 248/1. The bad themself be not so *tendereared, that for the only talking of their faultes they would banish the bokes that were good in other thinges besyde.
1683. Kennett, trans. Erasm. on Folly, Pref. (1709), 8. Which makes me wonder at the tender-eared humour of this age.
1535. Coverdale, Gen. xxix. 17. Lea was *tender eyed [Wyclif, with blerid eyen].
1591. Percivall, Sp. Dict., Pitañoso, bleare eied, tender eied.
a. 1619. Fletcher, Wit without M., III. i. You must not think your sister, so tender eyed as not to see your follies.
1823. W. Taylor, in Mirror, 12 July. He [Thomson] was so *tender-faced … and so devilish difficult to shave.
1839. Ure, Dict. Arts, 712. If its fracture be contorted, and contains a great many empty spaces or air-cells, the metal [cast iron] takes the name of cavernous-floss, or *tender-floss.
1659. *Tender-foreheaded [see FOREHEADED 1].
1825. Coleridge, Aids Refl., Aph. xvii. 67. What need that Christians should be so tender-foreheaded as to be put out of countenance.
1605. Shaks., Lear, II. iv. 176. Thy *tender-hefted [Q0s hested] Nature shall not giue Thee o’re to harshnesse.
1624. Middleton, Game at Chess, III. i. Thy conscience is so *tender-hoof’d of late, Every nail pricks it.
1598. Sylvester, Du Bartas, II. Ded. 12. Observe a while our *tender-imped Lark.
1605. Shaks., Lear, V. iii. 31. To be *tender minded Do’s not become a Sword.
1620. Venner, Via Recta, iv. 72. Some (That are very *tender mouthed) deeme this fish not so pleasant in taste.
1708. Yorkshire-Racers, 3. He’s tender-mouth’d, manag’d with easy bit.
1656. Duchess Newcastle, True Relation, in Life (1866), 313. Also I am *tender natured, for it troubles my conscience to kill a fly.
c. 1410. Master of Game (MS. Digby 182), xxxiii. Þe redyer and moste *tendrenosed hounde.
1700. R. Cromwell, Lett., in Eng. Hist. Rev., XIII. 120. The other tow tender nosed gentlemen would not come.
1846. T. B. Thorpe, Our Army on the Rio Grande, xvi. 135. Now commences a shower of blows over the face, eyes, and horns, of the poor animals [oxen]; a few rather *tender-pated, plunge into the Rio Grande.
1819. Keats, Lamia, II. 238. The *tender-personed Lamia.
1679. Evelyn, Kal. Hort. (ed. 5), 38. Wallnuts, the Early-nut: the *Tender-Scull, the Hard shell.
1872. Symonds, Introd. Stud. Dante, 248. Most *tender-souled of feudal heroes.
a. 1821. Keats, Last Sonnet. Still, still to hear her *tender-taken breath, And so live ever—or else swoon to death.
1882. F. M. Crawford, Mr. Isaacs, ii. Arab stallions,… sure-footed as a mule, and *tender-tempered as a baby.
1615. Brathwait, Strappado (1878), 94. *Tender-tinder of Affection, if I harbour thee againe, I will doe it by direction Of some graue experienc’t swaine.
1560. Becon, New Catech., Wks. I. 542 b. The children, whiche eyther are tender, or *tender witted, or fearefull, or easye to be reclaymed: the Scholemaster ought gently to entreat.
