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Tender vs Firm - What's the difference?

tender | firm |

In lang=en terms the difference between tender and firm

is that tender is a formal offer to buy or sell something while firm is a criminal gang.

As adjectives the difference between tender and firm

is that tender is sensitive or painful to the touch while firm is steadfast, secure, hard (in position.

As verbs the difference between tender and firm

is that tender is to make tender or delicate; to weaken while firm is to make firm or strong; fix securely.

As nouns the difference between tender and firm

is that tender is regard; care; kind concern while firm is a business partnership; the name under which it trades.

tender

English

Etymology 1

From (etyl) tendre, from (etyl) .

Adjective

(er)
  • Sensitive or painful to the touch.
  • * 1597 , , All's Well that Ends Well , 3,2:
  • * 2006 , Mike Myers (as the voice of the title character), Shrek (movie)
  • Be careful: that area is tender .
  • Easily bruised or injured; not firm or hard; delicate.
  • Physically weak; not able to endure hardship.
  • * Bible, Deuteronomy xxviii. 56
  • the tender and delicate woman among you
  • (of food) Soft and easily chewed.
  • * 2001 , Joey Pantolino (character), The Matrix (movie)
  • The Matrix is telling my brain this steak is tender , succulent, and juicy.
  • Sensible to impression and pain; easily pained.
  • * L'Estrange
  • Our bodies are not naturally more tender than our faces.
  • Fond, loving, gentle, sweet.
  • * Bible, James v. 11
  • The Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.
  • * Shakespeare
  • You, that are thus so tender o'er his follies, / Will never do him good.
  • * Fuller
  • I am choleric by my nature, and tender by my temper.
  • Adapted to excite feeling or sympathy; expressive of the softer passions; pathetic.
  • Apt to give pain; causing grief or pain; delicate.
  • * Francis Bacon
  • Things that are tender and unpleasing.
  • (nautical) Heeling over too easily when under sail; said of a vessel.
  • (obsolete) Exciting kind concern; dear; precious.
  • * Shakespeare
  • I love Valentine, / Whose life's as tender to me as my soul!
  • (obsolete) Careful to keep inviolate, or not to injure; used with of .
  • * Burke
  • tender of property
  • * Tillotson
  • The civil authority should be tender of the honour of God and religion.
    Synonyms
    * See also
    Derived terms
    * chicken tender * frost-tender * tenderise, tenderize * tenderly * tenderness * tender loving care, TLC * tenderfoot

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To make tender or delicate; to weaken.
  • *, vol.I, New York, 2001, p.233:
  • To such as are wealthy, live plenteously, at ease, […] these viands are to be forborne, if they be inclined to, or suspect melancholy, as they tender their healths […].
  • * Putnam Fadeless Dyes [flyer packaged with granulated dye]:
  • Putnam Fadeless Dyes will not injure any material. Boiling water does tender some materials. […] Also, silk fibers are very tender when wet and care should be take not to boil them too vigorously.
  • to feel tenderly towards; to regard fondly.
  • * 1597 , (William Shakespeare), (Romeo and Juliet) , 3,1 (First Folio edition):
  • And ?o good Capulet , which name I tender
    As dearely as my owne, be ?atisfied.

    Noun

  • (obsolete) regard; care; kind concern
  • *
  • Thou makest some tender of my life / In this fair rescue thou hast brought to me.
  • The inner flight muscle (pectoralis minor) of poultry.
  • Etymology 2

    From .

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (obsolete) Someone who tends or waits on someone.
  • (rail transport) A railroad car towed behind a steam engine to carry fuel and water.
  • (nautical) A naval ship that functions as a mobile base for other ships.
  • (nautical) A smaller boat used for transportation between a large ship and the shore.
  • Synonyms
    * (smaller boat) dinghy

    Etymology 3

    From (etyl) .

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (formal) To offer, to give.
  • * Shakespeare
  • You see how all conditions, how all minds, tender down / Their services to Lord Timon.
  • * 1864 November 21, Abraham Lincoln (signed) or John Hay, letter to Mrs. Bixby in Boston
  • I cannot refrain from tendering to you the consolation that may be found in the thanks of the Republic they died to save.
  • to offer a payment, as at sales or auctions.
  • Synonyms
    * offer
    Derived terms
    * tenderable * to tender something out

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A means of payment such as a check or cheque, cash or credit card.
  • (legal) A formal offer to buy or sell something.
  • Any offer or proposal made for acceptance.
  • * 1599 ,
  • [...] if she should make tender of her love, 'tis very possible he'll scorn it; for the man,—as you know all,—hath a contemptible spirit.
    See also
    * legal tender * to put out to tender * to put out for tender

    Anagrams

    * ----

    firm

    English

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) .

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (UK, business) A business partnership; the name under which it trades.
  • (business, economics) A business enterprise, however organized.
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2013-06-01, volume=407, issue=8838, page=71, magazine=(The Economist)
  • , title= End of the peer show , passage=Finance is seldom romantic. But the idea of peer-to-peer lending comes close. This is an industry that brings together individual savers and lenders on online platforms.
  • (slang) A criminal gang.
  • Etymology 2

    (etyl) ferme, from (etyl) ferme, from (etyl) .

    Adjective

    (er)
  • steadfast, secure, hard (in position)
  • * It's good to have a firm grip when shaking hands.
  • fixed (in opinion)
  • a firm''' believer; a '''firm''' friend; a '''firm adherent
  • * He was firm that selling his company would a good choice and didn't let anyone talk him out of it.
  • * {{quote-news
  • , year=2012 , date=May 9 , author=John Percy , title=Birmingham City 2 Blackpool 2 (2-3 on agg): match report , work=the Telegraph citation , page= , passage=With such constant off-field turmoil Hughton’s work has been remarkable and this may have been his last game in charge. West Bromwich Albion, searching for a replacement for Roy Hodgson, are firm admirers.}}
  • solid, rigid (material state)
  • firm''' flesh; '''firm''' muscles, '''firm''' wood; '''firm land (i.e. not soft and marshy)
    Derived terms
    * firm up * firmish * firmly * firmness * firmware

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To make firm or strong; fix securely.
  • To make compact or resistant to pressure; solidify.
  • To become firm; stabilise.
  • To improve after decline.
  • Aust. To shorten (of betting odds).
  • Anagrams

    * * ----