tender

Universal Words adjective, noun, verb adjective (tenderer, tenderest) HELPNOTE more tender and most tender are also common 1 kind, gentle and loving: tender words / looks / kisses * What he needs now is a lot of tender loving care (= sympathetic treatment). 2 (of food) easy to bite through and cut: This meat is extremely tender. * Boil the beans until they are tender. OPPTOUGH 3 (of part of the body) painful when you touch it SYNSORE: My leg is still very tender where I banged it. 4 easily hurt or damaged SYNDELICATE: tender young plants tenderly adverb tenderness noun [U] IDIOMS at a tender age