v. t. [ See Tender to offer. ] (O. Eng. Law) To make a tender of; to offer or tender. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. 1. To wait, as attendants or servants; to serve; to attend; -- with on or upon. [ 1913 Webster ]

Was he not companion with the riotous knights
That tend upon my father? Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. [ F. attendre. ] To await; to expect. [ Obs. ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ F. tendre, L. tendere, tensum and tentum, to stretch, extend, direct one's course, tend; akin to Gr. &unr_; to stretch, Skr. tan. See Thin, and cf. Tend to attend, Contend, Intense, Ostensible, Portent, Tempt, Tender to offer, Tense, a. ] 1. To move in a certain direction; -- usually with to or towards. [ 1913 Webster ]

Two gentlemen tending towards that sight. Sir H. Wotton. [ 1913 Webster ]

Thus will this latter, as the former world,
Still tend from bad to worse. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

The clouds above me to the white Alps tend. Byron. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To be directed, as to any end, object, or purpose; to aim; to have or give a leaning; to exert activity or influence; to serve as a means; to contribute; as, our petitions, if granted, might tend to our destruction. [ 1913 Webster ]

The thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenteousness; but of every one that is hasty only to want. Prov. xxi. 5. [ 1913 Webster ]

The laws of our religion tend to the universal happiness of mankind. Tillotson. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Tended; p. pr. & vb. n. Tending. ] [ Aphetic form of attend. See Attend, Tend to move, and cf. Tender one that tends or attends. ] 1. To accompany as an assistant or protector; to care for the wants of; to look after; to watch; to guard; as, shepherds tend their flocks. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

And flaming ministers to watch and tend
Their earthly charge. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

There 's not a sparrow or a wren,
There 's not a blade of autumn grain,
Which the four seasons do not tend
And tides of life and increase lend. Emerson. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To be attentive to; to note carefully; to attend to. [ 1913 Webster ]

Being to descend
A ladder much in height, I did not tend
My way well down. Chapman. [ 1913 Webster ]

To tend a vessel (Naut.), to manage an anchored vessel when the tide turns, so that in swinging she shall not entangle the cable. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ See Tend to attend, and cf. Attendance. ] 1. The act of attending or waiting; attendance. [ Archaic ] Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

The breath
Of her sweet tendance hovering over him. Tennyson. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Persons in attendance; attendants. [ Obs. ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Tendency. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Tendencies [ L. tendents, -entis, p. pr. of tendere: cf. F. tendance. See Tend to move. ] Direction or course toward any place, object, effect, or result; drift; causal or efficient influence to bring about an effect or result. [ 1913 Webster ]

Writings of this kind, if conducted with candor, have a more particular tendency to the good of their country. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

In every experimental science, there is a tendency toward perfection. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Disposition; inclination; proneness; drift; scope; aim. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. (Law) An offer, either of money to pay a debt, or of service to be performed, in order to save a penalty or forfeiture, which would be incurred by nonpayment or nonperformance; as, the tender of rent due, or of the amount of a note, with interest. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ To constitute a legal tender, such money must be offered as the law prescribes. So also the tender must be at the time and place where the rent or debt ought to be paid, and it must be to the full amount due. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Any offer or proposal made for acceptance; as, a tender of a loan, of service, or of friendship; a tender of a bid for a contract. [ 1913 Webster ]

A free, unlimited tender of the gospel. South. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. The thing offered; especially, money offered in payment of an obligation. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

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Legal tender. See under Legal. --
Tender of issue (Law), a form of words in a pleading, by which a party offers to refer the question raised upon it to the appropriate mode of decision. Burrill. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Compar. Tenderer superl. Tenderest. ] [ F. tendre, L. tener; probably akin to tenuis thin. See Thin. ] 1. Easily impressed, broken, bruised, or injured; not firm or hard; delicate; as, tender plants; tender flesh; tender fruit. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Sensible to impression and pain; easily pained. [ 1913 Webster ]

Our bodies are not naturally more tender than our faces. L'Estrange. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Physically weak; not hardly or able to endure hardship; immature; effeminate. [ 1913 Webster ]

The tender and delicate woman among you. Deut. xxviii. 56. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Susceptible of the softer passions, as love, compassion, kindness; compassionate; pitiful; anxious for another's good; easily excited to pity, forgiveness, or favor; sympathetic. [ 1913 Webster ]

The Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy. James v. 11. [ 1913 Webster ]

I am choleric by my nature, and tender by my temper. Fuller. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. Exciting kind concern; dear; precious. [ 1913 Webster ]

I love Valentine,
Whose life's as tender to me as my soul! Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. Careful to save inviolate, or not to injure; -- with of. “Tender of property.” Burke. [ 1913 Webster ]

The civil authority should be tender of the honor of God and religion. Tillotson. [ 1913 Webster ]

7. Unwilling to cause pain; gentle; mild. [ 1913 Webster ]

You, that are thus so tender o'er his follies,
Will never do him good. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

8. Adapted to excite feeling or sympathy; expressive of the softer passions; pathetic; as, tender expressions; tender expostulations; a tender strain. [ 1913 Webster ]

9. Apt to give pain; causing grief or pain; delicate; as, a tender subject. “Things that are tender and unpleasing.” Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

10. (Naut.) Heeling over too easily when under sail; -- said of a vessel. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Tender is sometimes used in the formation of self-explaining compounds; as, tender-footed, tender-looking, tender-minded, tender-mouthed, and the like. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Delicate; effeminate; soft; sensitive; compassionate; kind; humane; merciful; pitiful. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ From Tend to attend. Cf. Attender. ] 1. One who tends; one who takes care of any person or thing; a nurse. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Naut.) A vessel employed to attend other vessels, to supply them with provisions and other stores, to convey intelligence, or the like. [ 1913 Webster ]

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3. A car attached to a locomotive, for carrying a supply of fuel and water. [ 1913 Webster ]