tenace

American

[ten-ays] / ˈtɛnˌeɪs /

noun

Whist, Bridge.

a sequence of two high cards of the same suit that lack an intervening card to be in consecutive order, as the ace and queen.

tenace British

/ ˈtɛneɪs /

noun

bridge whist a holding of two nonconsecutive high cards of a suit, such as the ace and queen

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of tenace

1645–55; < Spanish tenazas tongs, tenace (in card games), derivative of tenaz ≪ Latin tenāx tenacious; compare Medieval Latin tenācēs forceps

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

tenace

If East had won with her ace, she would have been endplayed, forced to lead a diamond into declarer’s tenace or to concede a ruff-and-sluff.

From New York Times ● Jan. 4, 2015

East overruffed, but then had to lead a diamond away from his king into dummy’s ace-jack tenace.

From New York Times ● Apr. 21, 2013

A trump coup occurs when declarer has a tenace in the trump suit over his right-hand opponent.

From New York Times ● Jan. 13, 2010

It will help you to place the suit and prevent your leading to a possible tenace in the dealer's hand.

From Bridge; its Principles and Rules of Play with Illustrative Hands and the Club Code of Bridge Laws by J.B. (Joseph Bowne) Elwell

This, while not nearly so desirable an opening as a singleton, is better than leading from a tenace.

From Auction of To-day by Milton C. Work

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023