tenace

[ten-eys]

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.

Compare major tenace, minor tenace.

Origin of tenace

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

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for tenace

Historical Examples of tenace

He should avoid opening a tenace suit, regardless of its length.
Auction of To-day
Milton C. Work
A lead from a tenace or a guarded king or queen is to be avoided.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 4, Part 3
Various
Therefore, as a general proposition, unless the partner have declared, the tenace suit should be led.
Auction of To-day
Milton C. Work
This, while not nearly so desirable an opening as a singleton, is better than leading from a tenace.
Auction of To-day
Milton C. Work

British Dictionary definitions for tenace

tenace

noun

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

Word Origin for tenace

C17: from French, from Spanish tenaza forceps, ultimately from Latin tenāx holding fast, from tenēre to hold

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