tender2
- to present formally for acceptance; make formal offer of: to tender one's resignation.
- to offer or proffer.
- Law. to offer, as money or goods, in payment of a debt or other obligation, especially in exact accordance with the terms of the law and of the obligation.
- to make or submit a bid (often followed by for).
- the act of tendering; an offer of something for acceptance.
- something tendered or offered, especially money, as in payment.
- Commerce. an offer made in writing by one party to another to execute certain work, supply certain commodities, etc., at a given cost; bid.
- Law. an offer, as of money or goods, in payment or satisfaction of a debt or other obligation.
Origin of tender2
Synonyms
See more synonyms for tender on Thesaurus.comExamples from the Web for tenderers
Historical Examples
I had impressed upon him that this was essential in order to test the bona fides of the tenderers.
The Chronicles of a Gay GordonJos Maria Gordon
tender1
- easily broken, cut, or crushed; soft; not tougha tender steak
- easily damaged; vulnerable or sensitivea tender youth; at a tender age
- having or expressing warm and affectionate feelingsa tender smile
- kind, merciful, or sympathetica tender heart
- arousing warm feelings; touchinga tender memory
- gentle and delicatea tender breeze
- requiring care in handling; ticklisha tender question
- painful or sorea tender wound
- sensitive to moral or spiritual feelingsa tender conscience
- (postpositive foll by of) careful or protectivetender of one's emotions
- (of a sailing vessel) easily keeled over by a wind; crankCompare stiff (def. 10)
- (tr) rare
- to make tender
- to treat tenderly
Word Origin
tender2
- (tr) to give, present, or offerto tender one's resignation; tender a bid
- (intr foll by for) to make a formal offer or estimate for (a job or contract)
- (tr) law to offer (money or goods) in settlement of a debt or claim
- the act or an instance of tendering; offer
- commerce a formal offer to supply specified goods or services at a stated cost or rate
- something, esp money, used as an official medium of paymentlegal tender
Word Origin
tender3
- a small boat, such as a dinghy, towed or carried by a yacht or ship
- a vehicle drawn behind a steam locomotive to carry the fuel and water
- an ancillary vehicle used to carry supplies, spare parts, etc, for a mobile operation, such as an outside broadcast
- a person who tends
Word Origin
Word Origin and History for tenderers
tender
adj.
"soft, easily injured," early 13c., from Old French tendre "soft, delicate, tender" (11c.), from Latin tenerem (nominative tener) "soft, delicate, of tender age," from PIE *ten- "stretch" (see tenet). Meaning "kind, affectionate, loving" first recorded c.1300. Meaning "having the delicacy of youth, immature" is attested from early 14c. Tender-hearted first recorded 1530s.
tender
v.
"to offer formally," 1540s, from Middle French tendre "to offer, hold forth" (11c.), from Latin tendere "to stretch, extend" (see tenet). The retention of the ending of the French infinitive is unusual. The noun meaning "formal offer" is from 1540s; specific sense of "money that may be legally offered as payment" is from 1740.
tender
n.
"person who tends another," late 15c., probably an agent noun formed from Middle English tenden "attend to" (see tend (2)); later extended to locomotive engineers (1825) and barmen (1883). The meaning "small boat used to attend larger ones" first recorded 1670s.
tender
(tĕn′dər)- Easily crushed or bruised; fragile.
- Easily hurt; sensitive.
- Painful; sore.
Idioms and Phrases with tenderers
tender
see leave to someone's tender mercies.