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.
verb (used without object)
to make or submit a bid (often followed by for).
noun
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 tender
2
1535–45; earlier tendre, noun use of Anglo-Frenchtendre to extend, offer. See tend1
"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.
