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Pathetic vs Tender - What's the difference?

pathetic | tender |

As an adjective pathetic

is arousing pity, sympathy, or compassion.

As a noun tender is

(label) (l) (fuel-carrying railroad car).

pathetic

English

Alternative forms

* pathetick (archaic) * patheticke (obsolete) * pathetique (obsolete)

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Arousing pity, sympathy, or compassion.
    • The old man’s pathetic pleas for forgiveness stirred the young man’s heart.
  • Arousing scornful pity or contempt, often due to miserable inadequacy.
    • You can't even run two miles? That’s pathetic .
    You're almost 26 years old and you still can't hold a real job? That's pathetic .
  • * {{quote-video, year=2005, title=
    • , passage=Well you'd better think of something because middle-aged tramps aren't cute, they're pathetic .}}
  • (obsolete) Expressing or showing anger; passionate.

    • Synonyms

    * (arousing pity) pitiful, wretched, miserable, deplorable, pathetisad * (arousing scorn) disgraceful, shameful, despicable, dishonorable

    Derived terms

    * patheticism * patheticness

    Related terms

    * pathos

    External links

    * *

    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
    Related terms
    * (one who tends) bartender

    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

    * ----