Tenacious, tē-nā′shus, adj. retaining or holding fast: apt to stick: stubborn.—adv. Tenā′ciously.—ns. Tenā′ciousness, Tenac′ity, quality of being tenacious: the quality of bodies which makes them stick to others. [L. tenax—tenēre.]
Tenaculum, tē-nak′ū-lum, n. a surgical hooked instrument for drawing out a divided blood-vessel to be tied.
Tenaille, te-nāl′, n. (fort.) an outwork in the main ditch immediately in front of the curtain, of great use for protecting the ditch, covering the postern from the enemy's view, &c.—n. Tenaillon (te-nal′yon), a work to strengthen the side of a small ravelin, and to support the shoulder of the bastion. [Fr.,—L. tenaculum, a holder—tenēre, to hold.]
Tenant, ten′ant, n. one who holds or possesses land or property under another, the payments and services which he owes to his superior constituting his tenure: one who has, on certain conditions, temporary possession of any place, an occupant.—v.t. to hold as a tenant.—n. Ten′ancy, a holding by private ownership: a temporary holding of land or property by a tenant.—adj. Ten′antable, fit to be tenanted: in a state of repair suitable for a tenant.—n. Ten′ant-farm′er, a farmer who rents a farm from the landlord.—adj. Ten′antless, without a tenant.—ns.
Ten′ant-right, the customary right of the tenant to sit continuously at a reasonable rent, and to receive compensation for his interest from the incoming tenant, and for all permanent or unexhausted improvements from the landlord; Ten′antry, the body of tenants on an estate. [Fr. tenant—L. tenens, pr.p. of tenēre, to hold.]
Tench, tensh, n. a fresh-water fish, of the carp family, very tenacious of life. [O. Fr. tenche (Fr. tanche)—L. tinca.]
Tend, tend, v.t. to accompany as assistant or protector: to take care of, to be attentive to, to wait upon so as to execute.—ns. Ten′dance (Spens.), state of expectation: (Shak.) act of waiting or tending, also persons attendant; Ten′der, a small vessel that attends a larger with stores, &c.: a carriage attached to locomotives to supply fuel and water. [Contracted from attend.]
Tend, tend, v.i. to stretch, aim at, move, or incline in a certain direction: to be directed to any end or purpose: to contribute.—n. Ten′dency, direction, object, or result to which anything tends: inclination: drift. [Fr. tendre—L. tendĕre; Gr. teinein, to stretch.]
Tender, ten′dėr, v.t. to stretch out or offer for acceptance, esp. to offer to supply certain commodities for a certain period at rates specified.—n. an offer or proposal, esp. of some service, also the paper containing it: the thing offered, the actual production and formal offer of a sum due in legal money, or an offer of services to be performed, in order to save the consequences of non-payment or non-performance.
Tender, ten′dėr, adj. soft, delicate: easily impressed or injured: not hardy: fragile: weak and feeble: easily moved to pity, love, &c.: careful not to injure (with of): unwilling to cause pain: apt to cause pain: pathetic, expressive of the softer passions: compassionate, loving, affectionate: young and inexperienced: weakly in health: delicate, requiring careful handling: quick, keen: apt to lean over under sail.—n. Ten′der-foot, one not yet hardened to life in the prairie, mining-camp, &c.: a new-comer.—adj. Ten′der-heart′ed, full of feeling.—adv. Ten′der-heart′edly.—n. Ten′der-heart′edness.—adj. Ten′der-heft′ed (Shak.), having great tenderness.—ns. Ten′derling, one too much coddled, an effeminate fellow: one of the first horns of a deer; Ten′der-loin, the tenderest part of the loin of beef, pork, &c., lying close to the ventral side of the lumbar vertebræ.—adv. Ten′derly.—n. Ten′derness. [Fr. tendre—L. tener, allied to tenuis, thin.]