tender
gentle and loving in manner
Gentle, kind, and loving in how you act or speak.
a tender [something]
- He gave her hand a tender squeeze before leaving.
- They shared a tender moment on the balcony as the sun went down.
- Her letter is full of tender memories of their childhood.
- The movie ends with a tender scene between father and son.
- She spoke in a tender voice so as not to upset the child.
- He gave the baby a tender kiss.
- They had a tender talk about their future.
- Her tender smile made him feel safe.
- The story ends with a tender hug.
- She wrote a tender note to say thank you.
painful or sore when touched
Hurting or feeling sore when you touch it.
[something] is tender
- My ankle is still tender from when I twisted it last week.
- The area around the cut is quite tender to the touch.
- Her gums were tender after the dental surgery.
- This shoulder is less tender today, so I can move it more easily.
- Press gently; the bruise is very tender.
- My knee is tender after the fall.
- The skin around the burn is tender.
- His tooth is tender when he eats.
- Her arm is tender where she got the shot.
- The cut is still tender, so be careful.
soft and easy to chew food
Soft and easy to chew, usually about cooked food.
[food] is tender
- The chicken was so tender it almost fell off the bone.
- Simmer the carrots for twenty minutes, or until they are tender.
- This steak is wonderfully tender and full of flavor.
- She likes her pasta just tender, not too soft.
- The slow cooking makes even cheap cuts of meat tender.
- The meat is very tender.
- Cook the beans until they are tender.
- I like my steak tender, not tough.
- The fish was fresh and tender.
- The potatoes are tender now; dinner is ready.
formally offer or present something
To officially offer or give something, like a letter, apology, or price for work.
to tender [something] to [someone]
- He formally tendered his resignation to the board on Monday.
- Several companies have tendered bids for the construction project.
- The company has tendered an offer to buy back its own shares.
- They refused to tender payment until the work was completed.
- The minister stood up to tender an apology to the families affected.
- He tendered his resignation in a short letter.
- Three firms tendered bids for the new road.
- The company tendered an offer to buy the land.
- She tendered an apology after the mistake.
- They tendered payment as soon as they got the bill.
formal bid for work or supply
A formal written offer to do a job or sell something for a set price, usually in business or government.
a tender for [something]
- Over twenty companies submitted tenders for the bridge project.
- The council has put the cleaning contract out to tender.
- Their tender was the lowest, but not the most attractive overall.
- All tenders must be received by 5 p.m. on Friday.
- The firm won the tender to supply computers to local schools.
- Five firms sent in a tender for the job.
- The city asked for tenders to build the new park.
- Their tender was too high, so they did not get the work.
- We are preparing a tender for the road project.
- All tenders must arrive before the deadline.
delicate and needing careful handling
Easy to damage or hurt and needing careful treatment.
tender [something]
- These are tender plants and should be kept indoors until the frost has passed.
- Handle the tender seedlings carefully when you move them to larger pots.
- At that tender age, children can be easily influenced.
- Her skin is quite tender, so she burns in the sun very quickly.
- The doctor said his back is still in a tender state after the surgery.
- You must protect these tender plants from the cold.
- The baby’s skin is very tender.
- At that tender age, children need a lot of care.
- Be gentle with the tender roots of the tree.
- Young leaves are tender and easy to break.
small service boat for a ship
A small boat that takes people or things between land and a bigger boat or ship.
a tender for [a ship]
- Passengers were taken ashore by tender because the ship was too large to dock.
- We waited on deck for the tender to return from the port.
- The yacht’s tender is stored on the upper deck when not in use.
- A small tender ferries supplies out to the research vessel each morning.
- During rough weather, the captain suspended tender operations for safety.
- We used a tender to go from the big ship to the beach.
- The tender takes food and water to the main boat.
- The ship’s tender is tied to the side of the ship.
- They got on the tender to go to the island.
- The tender brings passengers back to the cruise ship.
fried strip of chicken meat
A small piece or strip of chicken, often covered in crumbs and fried.
chicken tenders
- She ordered chicken tenders and fries for the kids.
- The restaurant serves spicy tenders with three different dipping sauces.
- I’ll have a salad and a side of grilled tenders, please.
- These homemade chicken tenders are baked, not fried.
- He dipped a tender into the barbecue sauce and took a big bite.
- We ate chicken tenders for lunch.
- The kids like tenders with ketchup.
- I ordered three tenders and a drink.
- These chicken tenders are very crispy.
- She cooked tenders in the oven.
money that must be accepted by law
Official money that the law says people must accept to pay a debt, usually called "legal tender".
legal tender
- These old notes are no longer legal tender.
- The new coin will become legal tender from January 1st.
- In most countries, only the national currency is legal tender for everyday debts.
- Foreign banknotes are not legal tender here, although some shops may accept them.
- The contract specifies payment in a form of legal tender accepted in the EU.
- These coins are still legal tender in this country.
- The old money is not legal tender now.
- You must pay in legal tender, not in foreign coins.
- The new banknote is legal tender from today.
- Shops do not have to take money that is not legal tender.
rail car for locomotive fuel and water
A train car behind a steam engine that holds the coal and water.
a tender behind [a locomotive]
- The old steam locomotive and its tender are displayed in the railway museum.
- Workers loaded coal into the tender before the train set off.
- The tender carried enough water for several hours of continuous running.
- In the model train set, the tender is fixed to the back of the engine.
- They restored the original tender to match the historic locomotive.
- The steam engine pulls a tender full of coal.
- Behind the locomotive is a tender with water.
- The museum shows an old train with its tender.
- Workers filled the tender before the train left.
- The tender is part of the old steam train.
- Base: tender
- Comparative: tenderer
- Superlative: tenderest
- Base: tender
- Plural: tenders
- Base: tender
- 3rd Person Singular: tenders
- Present Participle: tendering
- Past: tendered
at the tender age of
2at a very young age
Used to say that someone did something when they were very young.
- She started playing the piano at the tender age of four.
- He moved abroad alone at the tender age of sixteen.
- At the tender age of eight, she had already written her first story.
go out to tender
8enter the formal bidding process
When a project or contract is officially opened for companies to send formal offers.
- The rail upgrade will go out to tender later this year.
- The project has gone out to tender, and responses are due in May.
- Once the work goes out to tender, we expect strong interest from major firms.
legal tender
4money officially accepted by law
Money that the law says people must accept if someone uses it to pay a debt.
- In this country, only the national currency is legal tender.
- These old coins are no longer legal tender.
- The new banknote will become legal tender next month.
put [something] out to tender
6invite formal bids for a contract
To officially ask companies to send formal written offers to do work or sell goods or services.
- The government has put the new hospital project out to tender.
- They plan to put the cleaning contract out to tender next month.
- All major construction work must be put out to tender under the new rules.
submit a tender
7send in a formal bid
To send an official written offer to do work or sell goods at a set price.
- More than fifty companies submitted tenders for the airport contract.
- We decided not to submit a tender because the deadline was too tight.
- Firms have until Friday to submit their tenders.
tender loving care
1extra gentle and caring treatment
Very kind, gentle care, especially to help someone or something become better or healthier.
- That plant looks half dead, but with a little tender loving care it might recover.
- The old house needs some tender loving care before anyone can live in it again.
- After the accident, the puppy needed a lot of tender loving care.
tender offer
9formal offer to buy company shares
A formal public offer to buy a lot of shares in a company at a set price, usually to gain control of the company.
- The company’s stock jumped after a rival announced a tender offer.
- Shareholders have thirty days to respond to the tender offer.
- The board advised investors to reject the hostile tender offer.
tender years
5very young age, especially of a child
A formal way to talk about someone’s very young age.
- Despite his tender years, he showed remarkable maturity.
- She was already performing on stage in her tender years.
- The school focuses on supporting children in their tender years.
tender-hearted
3kind and easily moved to pity
Very kind and easily hurt by sad things; feeling strong pity for others.
- She’s too tender-hearted to watch horror films with a lot of suffering.
- He may look tough, but he’s really quite tender-hearted.
- Only the most tender-hearted people volunteer at the shelter every weekend.