Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Tender \Tend"er\, n. [From {Tend} to attend. Cf. {Attender}.]
   1. One who tends; one who takes care of any person or thing;
      a nurse.

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

Tender \Ten"der\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Tendered}; p. pr. & vb.
   n. {Tendering}.] [F. tendre to stretch, stretch out, reach,
   L. tendere. See {Tend} to move.]
   1. (Law) To offer in payment or satisfaction of a demand, in
      order to save a penalty or forfeiture; as, to tender the
      amount of rent or debt.

   2. To offer in words; to present for acceptance.

            You see how all conditions, how all minds, . . .
            tender down Their services to Lord Timon. --Shak.

Tender \Ten"der\, n. [Cf. F. tendre.]
   Regard; care; kind concern. [Obs.] --Shak.

Tender \Ten"der\, 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.

   Note: 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.

   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.

            A free, unlimited tender of the gospel. --South.

   3. The thing offered; especially, money offered in payment of
      an obligation. --Shak.

Tender \Ten"der\, v. t.
   To have a care of; to be tender toward; hence, to regard; to
   esteem; to value. [Obs.]

         For first, next after life, he tendered her good.
                                                  --Spenser.

         Tender yourself more dearly.             --Shak.

         To see a prince in want would move a miser's charity.
         Our western princes tendered his case, which they
         counted might be their own.              --Fuller.

Tender \Ten"der\, 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.

   2. Sensible to impression and pain; easily pained.

            Our bodies are not naturally more tender than our
            faces.                                --L'Estrange.

   3. Physically weak; not hardly or able to endure hardship;
      immature; effeminate.

            The tender and delicate woman among you. --Deut.
                                                  xxviii. 56.

   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.

            The Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.
                                                  --James v. 11.

            I am choleric by my nature, and tender by my temper.
                                                  --Fuller.

   5. Exciting kind concern; dear; precious.

            I love Valentine, Whose life's as tender to me as my
            soul!                                 --Shak.

   6. Careful to save inviolate, or not to injure; -- with of.
      ``Tender of property.'' --Burke.

            The civil authority should be tender of the honor of
            God and religion.                     --Tillotson.

   7. Unwilling to cause pain; gentle; mild.

            You, that are thus so tender o'er his follies, Will
            never do him good.                    --Shak.

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

   9. Apt to give pain; causing grief or pain; delicate; as, a
      tender subject. ``Things that are tender and unpleasing.''
      --Bacon.

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

   Note: Tender is sometimes used in the formation of
         self-explaining compounds; as, tender-footed,
         tender-looking, tender-minded, tender-mouthed, and the
         like.

   Syn: Delicate; effeminate; soft; sensitive; compassionate;
        kind; humane; merciful; pitiful.

Source : WordNet®

tender
     adj 1: given to sympathy or gentleness or sentimentality; "a tender
            heart"; "a tender smile"; "tender loving care";
            "tender memories"; "a tender mother" [ant: {tough}]
     2: hurting; "the tender spot on his jaw" [syn: {sensitive}, {sore}]
     3: susceptible to physical or emotional injury; "at a tender
        age" [syn: {vulnerable}]
     4: having or displaying warmth or affection; "affectionate
        children"; "caring parents"; "a fond embrace"; "fond of
        his nephew"; "a tender glance"; "a warm embrace" [syn: {affectionate},
         {caring}, {fond}, {lovesome}, {warm}]
     5: easy to cut or chew; "tender beef" [ant: {tough}]
     6: physically untoughened; "tender feet" [syn: {untoughened}]
        [ant: {tough}]
     7: (used of boats) inclined to heel over easily under sail
        [syn: {crank}, {cranky}, {tippy}]
     8: (of plants) not hardy; easily killed by adverse growing
        condition; "tender green shoots"

tender
     v 1: offer or present for acceptance
     2: propose a payment; "The Swiss dealer offered $2 million for
        the painting" [syn: {offer}, {bid}]
     3: make a tender of; in legal settlements
     4: make tender or more tender as by marinating, pounding, or
        applying a tenderizer; "tenderize meat" [syn: {tenderize},
         {tenderise}]

tender
     n 1: something used as an official medium of payment [syn: {legal
          tender}]
     2: someone who waits on or tends to or attends to the needs of
        another [syn: {attendant}, {attender}]
     3: a formal proposal to buy at a specified price [syn: {bid}]
     4: car attached to a locomotive to carry fuel and water
     5: a boat for communication between ship and shore [syn: {ship's
        boat}, {pinnace}, {cutter}]
     6: ship that usually provides supplies to other ships [syn: {supply
        ship}]