Tender

TEND'ER, noun [from tend.] One that attends or takes care of; a nurse.

1. A small vessel employed to attend a larger one for supplying her with provisions and other stores, or to convey intelligence and the like.

2. In 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 non-payment or non-performance; as the tender of rent due, or of the amount of a note or bond with interest. To constitute a legal tender such money must be offered as the law prescribes; the offer of bank notes is not a legal tender 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.

There is also a tender of issue in pleadings, a tender of an oath, etc.

3. Any offer for acceptance. The gentleman made me a tender of his services.

4. The thing offered. This money is not a legal tender

5. Regard; kind concern. [Not in use.]

TEND'ER, verb transitive [Latin tendo.]

1. To offer in words; or to exhibit or present for acceptance.

All conditions, all minds tender down

Their service to lord Timon.

2. To hold; to esteem.

Tender yourself more dearly. [Not in use.]

3. To offer in payment or satisfaction of a demand, for saving a penalty or forfeiture; as, to tender the amount of rent or debt.

TEN'DER, adjective [Latin tener; allied probably to thin, Latin tenuis.]

1. Soft; easily impressed, broken, bruised or injured; not firm or hard; as tender plants; tender flesh; tender grapes. Deuteronomy 32:2. Song of Solomon 2:13.

2. Very sensible to impression and pain; easily pained.

Our bodies are not naturally more tender than our faces.

3. Delicate; effeminate; not hardy or able to endure hardship.

The tender and delicate woman among you. Deuteronomy 28:54.

4. Weak; feeble; as tender age. Genesis 33:13.

5. Young and carefully educated. Proverbs 9:1.

6. Susceptible of the softer passions, as love, compassion, kindness; compassionate; pitiful; easily affected by the distresses of another, or anxious for another's good; as the tender kindness of the church; a tender heart.

7. Compassionate; easily excited to pity, forgiveness or favor.

The Lord is pitiful, and of tender mercy. James 5:11.

Luke 1:78.

8. Exciting kind concern.

I love Valentine;

His life's as tender to me as his soul.

9. Expressive of the softer passions; as a tender strain.

10. Careful to save inviolate, or not to injure; with of. Be tender of your neighbor's reputation.

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

11. Gentle; mild; unwilling to pain.

You that are so tender o'er his follies,

Will never do him good.

12. Apt to give pain; as, that is a tender subject; things that are tender and unpleasing.

13. Adapted to excite feeling or sympathy; pathetic; as tender expressions; tender expostulations.