tenace

American  

[ten-eys] / ˈtɛnˌeɪs /

noun

Whist, Bridge.

1. 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.

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tenace British  

/ ˈtɛneɪs /

noun

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

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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

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

Therefore, as a general proposition, unless the partner have declared, the tenace suit should be led.

From Auction of To-day by Work, Milton C.

Au fond, pourquoi nous accrochons-nous d’une manière si tenace à cette idée d’une conscience surajoutée à l’existence du contenu des choses?

From Essays in Radical Empiricism by James, William