Tenderness

adjective, tenderer, tenderest.
1.
soft or delicate in substance; not hard or tough:
a tender steak.
2.
weak or delicate in constitution; not strong or hardy.
3.
(of plants) unable to withstand freezing temperatures.
4.
young or immature:
children of tender age.
5.
delicate or soft in quality:
tender blue.
6.
delicate, soft, or gentle:
the tender touch of her hand.
7.
easily moved to sympathy or compassion; kind:
a tender heart.
8.
affectionate or loving; sentimental or amatory:
a tender glance.
9.
considerate or careful; chary or reluctant (usually followed by of).
10.
acutely or painfully sensitive:
a tender bruise.
11.
easily distressed; readily made uneasy:
a tender conscience.
12.
yielding readily to force or pressure; easily broken; fragile.
13.
of a delicate or ticklish nature; requiring careful or tactful handling:
a tender subject.
14.
Nautical. crank2 (def 1).
verb (used with object)
15.
to make tender.
16.
Archaic. to regard or treat tenderly.
adjective
1.
easily broken, cut, or crushed; soft; not tough: a tender steak
2.
easily damaged; vulnerable or sensitive: a tender youth, at a tender age
3.
having or expressing warm and affectionate feelings: a tender smile
4.
kind, merciful, or sympathetic: a tender heart
5.
arousing warm feelings; touching: a tender memory
6.
gentle and delicate: a tender breeze
7.
requiring care in handling; ticklish: a tender question
8.
painful or sore: a tender wound
9.
sensitive to moral or spiritual feelings: a tender conscience
10.
(postpositive) foll by of. careful or protective: tender of one’s emotions
11.
(of a sailing vessel) easily keeled over by a wind; crank Compare stiff (sense 10)
verb
12.
(transitive) (rare)

to make tender
to treat tenderly

verb
1.
(transitive) to give, present, or offer: to tender one’s resignation, tender a bid
2.
(intransitive) foll by for. to make a formal offer or estimate for (a job or contract)
3.
(transitive) (law) to offer (money or goods) in settlement of a debt or claim
noun
4.
the act or an instance of tendering; offer
5.
(commerce) a formal offer to supply specified goods or services at a stated cost or rate
6.
something, esp money, used as an official medium of payment: legal tender
noun
1.
a small boat, such as a dinghy, towed or carried by a yacht or ship
2.
a vehicle drawn behind a steam locomotive to carry the fuel and water
3.
an ancillary vehicle used to carry supplies, spare parts, etc, for a mobile operation, such as an outside broadcast
4.
a person who tends

tenderness ten·der·ness (těn’dər-nĭs)
n.
The condition of being tender or sore to the touch.

tender ten·der (těn’dər)
adj. ten·der·er, ten·der·est

Easily crushed or bruised; fragile.

Easily hurt; sensitive.

Painful; sore.

see: leave to someone’s tender mercies