ten·der1 /ˈtendə $ -ər/ ●○○ adjectiveadj1 food 食物DFSOFT tender food is easy to cut and eat, especially because it has been well cooked 嫩的,軟的〔尤指烹飪恰到好處〕 OPP toughContinue cooking until the meat is tender. 把肉一直燒到鬆軟爲止。
► see thesaurus at soft 2 part of your body 身體的部位HURT/CAUSE PAIN a part of your body that is tender is painful if someone touches it 一觸即痛的My arm is still tender where I bruised it. 我手臂撞傷的地方仍然一碰就疼。
► see thesaurus at painful 3 gentle 溫柔的LOVE gentle and careful in a way that shows love 溫柔的;體貼入微的;慈愛的Her voice was tender and soft. 她的聲音溫柔親切。
a slow, tender kiss 一個綿長溫柔的吻
4 easily damaged 容易損壞的HBP easily damaged – used especially about plants or flowers 嬌嫩的,幼嫩的,易損壞的〔尤指植物或花〕tender plants that were killed by the harsh winter 被嚴冬天氣凍死的幼嫩植株
6 tender age YOUNGthe time when you are young or do not have much experience 幼小的年齡,年幼時期at the tender age of four/five/six etcNicholas was sent to boarding school at the tender age of seven. 尼古拉斯在年齡只有七歲時就被送進了寄宿學校。
at the tender age of four/five/six etc• Alongside me was Sam Ratcliffe who, at the tender age of sixteen, had already had quite a bit of publicity.• And it has just happened to Kate Moss at the tender age of 18. —tenderly adverbadv
—tenderness noun [uncountableU]