<B>temptress, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a woman who tempts. (SYN) siren. </DL>
<A NAME="tempura">
<B>tempura, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a dish of seafood or vegetables deep-fried in batter. </DL>
<A NAME="tempusedaxrerum">
<B>tempus edax rerum,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> (Latin.) time the devourer of (all) things. </DL>
<A NAME="tempusfugit">
<B>tempus fugit,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> (Latin.) time flies. </DL>
<A NAME="ten">
<B>ten, </B>noun, adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD><I>noun </I> <B>1. </B>one more than nine; 10. <DD><B> 2. </B>a set of ten persons or things. <DD><B> 3. </B>a playing card, throw of the dice, billiard ball, or other playing piece, with ten spots or a "10" on it. <DD><B> 4a. </B>a ten-dollar bill. <DD><B> b. </B>a ten-pound note. <DD><I>adj. </I> being one more than nine. </DL>
<B>tenability, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> the fact or quality of being tenable. </DL>
<A NAME="tenable">
<B>tenable, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> that can be held or defended. <BR> <I>Ex. a tenable position, (Figurative.) a tenable theory.</I> (SYN) defensible, unassailable. noun <B>tenableness.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="tenably">
<B>tenably, </B>adverb.<DL COMPACT><DD> in a tenable manner. </DL>
<A NAME="tenace">
<B>tenace, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a combination of two cards lacking a third between them to form a sequence, such as ten and queen. </DL>
<A NAME="tenacious">
<B>tenacious, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>holding fast. <BR> <I>Ex. the tenacious jaws of a bulldog, a person tenacious of his rights.</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>(Figurative.) stubborn; persistent. <BR> <I>Ex. a tenacious salesman.</I> (SYN) obstinate. <DD><B> 3. </B>(Figurative.) able to remember. <BR> <I>Ex. a tenacious memory.</I> (SYN) retentive. <DD><B> 4. </B>holding fast together; not easily pulled apart. <DD><B> 5. </B>sticky. adv. <B>tenaciously.</B> noun <B>tenaciousness.</B> </DL>
<B>tenaculum, </B>noun, pl. <B>-la.</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a long-handled surgical instrument with a sharp hook, used especially to pick up parts and draw edges of wounds together. </DL>
<A NAME="tenaille">
<B>tenaille</B> or <B>tenail, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a low defensive structure built outside a main fortification between two bastions. </DL>
<A NAME="tenancy">
<B>tenancy, </B>noun, pl. <B>-cies.</B><DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>the condition of being a tenant; occupying and paying rent for land or buildings. <BR> <I>Ex. Tenancy is the human condition in Manhattan (New Yorker).</I> (SYN) occupancy. <DD><B> 2. </B>the property so held. (SYN) holding. <DD><B> 3. </B>the length of time a tenant occupies a property. (SYN) tenure. </DL>
<A NAME="tenant">
<B>tenant, </B>noun, verb.<DL COMPACT><DD><I>noun </I> <B>1. </B>a person paying rent for the temporary use of the land or buildings of another person. <BR> <I>Ex. That building has apartments for one hundred tenants.</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>(Figurative:) <BR> <I>Ex. Birds are tenants of the trees.</I> (SYN) inhabitant, occupant, dweller. <DD><I>v.t. </I> to hold or occupy as a tenant; inhabit. <BR> <I>Ex. That old house has not been tenanted for many years.</I> <DD><I>v.i. </I> to reside; dwell; live (in). adj. <B>tenantable.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="tenantfarmer">
<B>tenant farmer,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a farmer who raises crops or livestock on land belonging to another, to whom he pays rent in cash or in a share of the crops or livestock. <BR> <I>Ex. The sharecropper and tenant farmers left the farm and turned to the rapidly growing opportunities in industry.</I> </DL>
<A NAME="tenantless">
<B>tenantless, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> without a tenant; vacant. <BR> <I>Ex. a dreary and tenantless mansion (Longfellow).</I> </DL>
<A NAME="tenantry">
<B>tenantry, </B>noun, pl. <B>-ries.</B><DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>all the tenants on an estate. <BR> <I>Ex. The old Squire's visits to his tenantry were rare (George Eliot).</I> <DD><B> 2. </B><B>=tenancy.</B> </DL>
<B>tench, </B>noun, pl. <B>tenches</B> or (collectively) <B>tench.</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a freshwater fish of Europe, related to the carp, and noted for the length of time it can live out of water. <BR> <I>Ex. Tench are partial to foul and weedy waters (William Bingley).</I> </DL>
<A NAME="tencommandments">
<B>Ten Commandments,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> the ten rules for living and forworship that God revealed to Moses on Mount Sinai (in the Bible, Exodus 20:2-17; Deuteronomy 5:6-22); Decalogue. </DL>
<A NAME="tend">
<B>tend</B> (1), intransitive verb.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>to be apt; be likely; incline (to). <BR> <I>Ex. Fruit tends to decay. Modern industry tends toward consolidation. Farms tend to use more machinery now.</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>to move (toward); be directed (toward). <BR> <I>Ex. The road tends to the south here.</I> </DL>
<A NAME="tend">
<B>tend</B> (2), transitive verb.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>to take care of; look after; attend to. <BR> <I>Ex. He tends shop for his father. A shepherd tends his flock. A nurse tends the sick.</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>to serve; wait upon. <DD><B> 3. </B>(Nautical.) to stand by and watch over (as a line or anchor cable). <DD><I>v.i. </I> <B>1. </B>to serve (upon). <DD><B> 2. </B>(Informal.) to pay attention. <DD><B> 3. </B>(Obsolete.) to wait in expectation or readiness. <BR> <I>Ex. The time invites you, go, your servants tend (Shakespeare).</I> </DL>
<A NAME="tendai">
<B>Tendai, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a Buddhist sect of Japan noted for its synthesis of all Buddhist doctrines. <BR> <I>Ex. Buddhism in Japan today has five major divisions: Tendai and Shingon, which came from China early in the ninth century, Zen, Jodo, and Nichiren (Atlantic).</I> </DL>
<B>tendencious, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> tendentious. <BR> <I>Ex. A false and tendencious account of what had taken place (Contemporary Review).</I> adv. <B>tendenciously.</B> noun <B>tendenciousness.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="tendency">
<B>tendency, </B>noun, pl. <B>-cies.</B><DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>an inclination; leaning. <BR> <I>Ex. Boys have a stronger tendency to fight than girls.</I> (SYN) bent, bias, proneness, propensity. <DD><B> 2. </B>a natural disposition to move, proceed, or act in some direction or toward some point, end, or result. <BR> <I>Ex. Wood has a tendency to swell if it gets wet.</I> </DL>
<A NAME="tendential">
<B>tendential, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>marked by a tendency. <DD><B> 2. </B><B>=tendentious.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="tendentious">
<B>tendentious, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>having a tendency to take sides; one-sided. <BR> <I>Ex. a tendentious statement.</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>troublemaking; rebellious. <BR> <I>Ex. a spoiled, tendentious child.</I> adv. <B>tendentiously.</B> noun <B>tendentiousness.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="tender">
<B>tender</B> (1), adjective, verb, noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><I>adj. </I> <B>1. </B>not hard or tough; soft. <BR> <I>Ex. The meat is tender. Stones hurt the little child's tender feet.</I> <DD><B> 2a. </B>not strong and hardy; delicate. <BR> <I>Ex. tender young grass. The leaves in spring are green and tender.</I> (SYN) weak. <DD><B> b. </B>soft; subdued. <BR> <I>Ex. a tender blue.</I> (SYN) delicate. <DD><B> 3. </B>kind; affectionate; loving. <BR> <I>Ex. The mother spoke tender words to her baby. She sent tender messages to her friends.</I> (SYN) compassionate, merciful. <DD><B> 4. </B>not rough or crude; gentle. <BR> <I>Ex. He patted the dog with tender hands. The young plants need tender care.</I> (SYN) mild, sympathetic. <DD><B> 5. </B>young; immature. <BR> <I>Ex. Two years old is a tender age.</I> <DD><B> 6. </B>sensitive; painful; sore. <BR> <I>Ex. a tender wound. The elbow joint is a tender spot.</I> <DD><B> 7a. </B>feeling pain or grief easily. <BR> <I>Ex. She has a tender heart and would never hurt anyone.</I> <DD><B> b. </B>(Figurative.) sensitive to insult or injury; ready to take offense. <BR> <I>Ex. a man of tender pride.</I> <DD><B> 8. </B>considerate or careful. <BR> <I>Ex. He handles people in a tender manner.</I> <DD><B> 9. </B>(Figurative.) requiring careful or tactful handling. <BR> <I>Ex. a tender situation. Automobiles are a tender subject with Dad since he wrecked his.</I> <DD><B> 10. </B><B>=crank</B> (2). <DD><I>v.t. </I> (Archaic.) <B>1. </B>to make tender. <DD><B> 2. </B>to weaken. <DD><B> 3. </B>to feel or act tenderly toward. <DD><I>v.i. </I> (Obsolete.) to become tender. <DD><I>noun </I> (Obsolete.) care; regard; concern. adj. <B>tenderable.</B> adv. <B>tenderly.</B> </DL>
