propensity: She hasn't reckoned on his propensity for violence.
ten|den|tious /tende nʃəs/ ADJ Something that is tendentious expresses a particular opinion or point of view very strongly, especially one that many people disagree with. [FORMAL ] □ His analysis was rooted in a somewhat tendentious reading of French history.
tender
➊ ADJECTIVE USES
➋ NOUN AND VERB USES
➊ ten|der /te ndə r / (tenderer , tenderest )
1 ADJ Someone or something that is tender expresses gentle and caring feelings. □ Her voice was tender, full of pity. ● ten|der|ly ADV [ADV with v] □ Mr. White tenderly embraced his wife. ● ten|der|ness N‑UNCOUNT □ She smiled, politely rather than with tenderness or gratitude.
2 ADJ [ADJ n] If you say that someone does something at a tender age, you mean that they do it when they are still young and have not had much experience. □ He had become attracted to the game at the tender age of seven.
3 ADJ Meat or other food that is tender is easy to cut or chew. □ Cook for a minimum of 2 hours, or until the meat is tender.
4 ADJ If part of your body is tender , it is sensitive and painful when it is touched. □ My tummy felt very tender. ● ten|der|ness N‑UNCOUNT □ There is still some tenderness in her tummy.
➋ ten|der /te ndə r / (tenders , tendering , tendered )
1 N‑VAR A tender is a formal offer to supply goods or to do a particular job, and a statement of the price that you or your company will charge. If a contract is put out to tender , formal offers are invited. If a company wins a tender , their offer is accepted. [BUSINESS ] □ [+ for ] Builders will then be sent the specifications and asked to submit a tender for the work.
2 VERB If a company tenders for something, it makes a formal offer to supply goods or do a job for a particular price. [BUSINESS ] □ [V + for ] The staff are forbidden to tender for private-sector work.
3 VERB If you tender something such as a suggestion, your resignation, or money, you formally offer or present it. □ [V n] She quickly tendered her resignation.
4 → see also legal tender
te nder-hea rted ADJ If you are tender-hearted , you have a gentle and caring nature.
ten|der|ize /te ndəra I z/ (tenderizes , tenderizing , tenderized ) in BRIT, also use tenderise VERB If you tenderize meat, you make it softer by preparing it in a particular way. □ [V n] Vinegar tenderises meat.
ten|din|itis /te ndəna I t I s/ also tendonitis N‑UNCOUNT Tendinitis is a medical condition in which a tendon becomes swollen and painful. [MEDICAL ] □ Tendinitis can usually be relieved with rest and ice massage.
ten|don /te ndən/ (tendons )
1 N‑COUNT A tendon is a strong cord in a person's or animal's body which joins a muscle to a bone.
2 → see also Achilles tendon
ten|dril /te ndr I l/ (tendrils )
1 N‑COUNT A tendril is something light and thin, for example a piece of hair which hangs loose and is away from the main part. □ [+ of ] Tendrils of hair strayed to the edge of her pillow.
2 N‑COUNT [usu pl] Tendrils are thin stems which grow on some plants so that they can attach themselves to supports such as walls or other plants.
ten|ement /te nəmənt/ (tenements )
1 N‑COUNT A tenement is a large, old building which is divided into a number of individual flats. □ …elegant tenement buildings.
2 N‑COUNT A tenement is one of the flats in a tenement.
ten|et /te n I t/ (tenets ) N‑COUNT The tenets of a theory or belief are the main principles on which it is based. [FORMAL ] □ [+ of ] Non-violence and patience are the central tenets of their faith.
ten|ner /te nə r / (tenners ) N‑COUNT A tenner is ten pounds or a ten-pound note. [BRIT , INFORMAL ]
ten|nis ◆◇◇ /te n I s/ N‑UNCOUNT Tennis is a game played by two or four players on a rectangular court. The players use an oval racket with strings across it to hit a ball over a net across the middle of the court.
ten|or /te nə r / (tenors )
1 N‑COUNT [oft N n] A tenor is a male singer whose voice is fairly high.
2 ADJ A tenor saxophone or other musical instrument has a range of notes that are of a fairly low pitch.
3 N‑SING [with poss] The tenor of something is the general meaning or mood that it expresses. [FORMAL ] □ [+ of ] The whole tenor of discussions has changed.
te n-pin bo wl|ing also tenpin bowling N‑UNCOUNT Ten-pin bowling is a game in which you try to knock down ten objects shaped like bottles by rolling a heavy ball towards them. It is usually played in a place called a bowling alley. [mainly BRIT ] in AM, usually use bowling
tense /te ns/ (tenser , tensest , tenses , tensing , tensed )
1 ADJ A tense situation or period of time is one that makes people anxious, because they do not know what is going to happen next. □ This gesture of goodwill did little to improve the tense atmosphere at the talks. □ After three very tense weeks he phoned again.
2 ADJ If you are tense , you are anxious and nervous and cannot relax. □ Dart, who had at first been very tense, at last relaxed. ● tense|ly ADV [usu ADV with v] □ She waited tensely for the next bulletin. ● tense|ness N‑UNCOUNT □ McKay walked slowly toward this screen, feeling a growing tenseness.