TENNER, ten'[.e]r, _n._ (_slang_) a ten-pound note.
TENNIS, ten'is, _n._ an ancient game for two to four persons, played with
ball and rackets within a building specially constructed for the purpose:
lawn-tennis (q.v.), a modern imitation of the former.--_ns._ TENN'IS-BALL,
a ball used in the game of tennis; TENN'IS-COURT, a place or court for
playing at tennis. [Skeat suggests O. Fr. _tenies_, pl. of _tenie_, a
fillet--L. _tænia_.]
TENON, ten'un, _n._ a projection at the end of a piece of wood inserted
into the socket or mortise of another, to hold the two together.--_v.t._ to
fit with tenons.--_ns._ TEN'ONER, a machine for forming tenons; TEN'ON-SAW,
a thin back-saw for tenons, &c. [Fr. _tenon_--_tenir_, to hold--L.
_ten[=e]re_.]
TENOR, ten'ur, _n._ continuity of state: general run or currency: purport:
the higher of the two kinds of voices usually belonging to adult males: the
part next above the bass in a vocal quartet: one who sings tenor.--_adj._
pertaining to the tenor in music.--_ns._ TEN'OR-CLEF, the C clef, placed on
the fourth line; TEN'ORIST. [L. _tenor_--_ten[=e]re_, to hold.]
TENPENNY, ten'pen-i, _adj._ worth or sold at tenpence.
TENPINS, ten'pinz, _n._ a game played in a bowling-alley, the aim being to
bowl down ten pins set up at the far end.
TENREC, ten'rek, _n._ a genus of _Insectivora_, of one species, 12 to 16
inches long, with squat body and hardly any tail, found in Madagascar and
Mauritius.--Also TAN'REC. [Malagasy.]
TENSE, tens, _n._ time in grammar, the form of a verb to indicate the time
of the action. [O. Fr. _tens_ (Fr. _temps_)--L. _tempus_, time.]
TENSE, tens, _adj._ strained to stiffness: rigid.--_adv._ TENSE'LY.--_ns._
TENSE'NESS, state of being tense; TENSIBIL'ITY, TENSIL'ITY, quality of
being tensile.--_adjs._ TEN'SIBLE, TEN'SILE, capable of being
stretched.--_ns._ TEN'SION, act of stretching: state of being stretched or
strained: strain: effort: strain in the direction of the length, or the
degree of it: mental strain, excited feeling: a strained state of any kind;
TEN'SION-ROD, a rod in a structure holding together different parts;
TEN'SITY, tenseness: state of being tense.--_adj._ TEN'SIVE, giving the
sensation of tenseness or stiffness.--_n._ TEN'SOR, a muscle that tightens
a part. [L. _tensus_, pa.p. of _tend[)e]re_, to stretch.]
TENSON, ten'son, _n._ a competition in verse between two troubadours before
a tribunal of love, also a subdivision of the chanson composed at
such.--Also TEN'ZON. [Fr.,--L. _tensio_, a struggle.]
TENT, tent, _n._ a portable lodge or shelter, generally of canvas stretched
on poles: a plug or roll of lint used to dilate a wound or opening in the
flesh--_v.t._ to probe: to keep open with a tent.--_ns._ TENT'-BED, a bed
having a canopy hanging from a central point overhead; TENT'-CLOTH, canvas,
duck, &c. suitable for tents.--_adj._ TEN'TED, covered with tents.--_ns._
TEN'TER, one who lives in a tent; TENT'-FLY, an external piece of canvas
stretched above the ridge-pole of a tent, shading from sun or shielding
from rain; TENT'FUL, as many as a tent will hold; TENT'-GUY, an additional
rope for securing a tent against a storm.--_adjs._ TEN'TIFORM, shaped like
a tent; TEN'TING (_Keats_), having the form of a tent.--_ns._ TENT'-MAK'ER,
one who makes tents; TENT'-PEG, -PIN, a strong peg of notched wood, or of
iron, driven into the ground to fasten one of the ropes of a tent to;
TENT'-PEG'GING, a favourite cavalry exercise in India, in which the
competitor, riding at full speed, tries to bear off a tent-peg on the point
of a lance; TENT'-POLE, one of the poles used in pitching a tent;
TENT'-ROPE, one of the ropes by which a tent is secured to the tent-pins,
generally one for each breadth of the canvas; TENT'-STITCH, in worsted and
embroidery, a series of parallel diagonal stitches--also _Petit point_;
TENT'-WORK, work produced by embroidering with tent-stitch. [Fr.
_tente_--Low L. _tenta_--L. _tend[)e]re_, to stretch.]
TENT, tent, _n._ a Spanish wine of a deep-red colour. [Sp. _tinto_,
deep-coloured--L. _tinctus_, pa.p. of _ting[)e]re_, to dye.]
TENT, tent, _v.t._ (_Scot._) to take heed.--_v.i._ to be careful.--_n._
care, watchfulness. [Same as _Intent_.]
TENTACLE, ten'ta-kl, _n._ a thread-like organ of certain insects for
feeling or motion.--_adjs._ TEN'TACLED; TENTAC'[=U]LAR; TENTAC'[=U]LATE;
TENTACULIF'EROUS.--_n._ TENTAC'[=U]LITE, a genus of annulated tapering
shells, found abundantly in Silurian and Devonian strata. [Fr.
_tentacule_--L. _tent[=a]re_, to feel--_tend[)e]re_, to stretch.]
TENTATION, ten-t[=a]'shun, _n._ old form of _temptation_.
TENTATIVE, ten'ta-tiv, _adj._ trying: experimental.--_n._ any attempt,
conjecture.--_adv._ TEN'TATIVELY. [Fr.,--Late L.,--L. _tent[=a]re_, to
try--_tend[)e]re_, to stretch.]
TENTER, ten't[.e]r, _n._ a machine for extending or stretching cloth on by
hooks.--_v.t._ to stretch on hooks.--_n._ TEN'TER-HOOK, a sharp, hooked
nail, anything that gives torture.--BE ON TENTER-HOOKS, to be on the
stretch: to be in suspense or anxiety. [Fr. _tenture_--L.
_tentura_--_tend[)e]re_, to stretch.]
TENTER, ten't[.e]r, _n._ one who has charge of something.--_adj._ TEN'TY,
attentive.
TENTH, tenth, _adj._ the last of ten: next in order after the ninth.--_n._
one of ten equal parts.--_adv._ TENTH'LY, in the tenth place.
TENTIGO, ten-t[=i]'g[=o], _n._ morbid lasciviousness.--_adj._ TENTIG'INOUS.
TENTORIUM, ten-t[=o]'ri-um, _n._ a sheet of the dura mater stretched
between the cerebrum and the cerebellum.--_adj._ TENT[=O]'RIAL. [L., 'a
tent'--_tend[)e]re_, to stretch.]
TENTURE, ten't[=u]r, _n._ hangings for walls.
TENUITY, te-n[=u]'i-ti, _n._ thinness: smallness of diameter: slenderness:
rarity.--_v.t._ TEN'[=U]ATE, to make tenuous.--_adj._ TEN[=U]IROS'TRAL,
slender-billed, as a bird of the TEN[=U]IROS'TRES, a large division of
passerine birds including humming-birds, nuthatches, &c.--_adj._
TEN'[=U]OUS, thin, slender. [L. _tenuitas_--_tenuis_, thin, slender; cf.
_tend[)e]re_, to stretch.]
TENURE, ten'[=u]r, _n._ a general name for the conditions on which land is
held by the persons who occupy and use it. [Fr. _tenure_--Low L.
_tenura_--L. _ten[=e]re_, to hold.]
TENUTO, te-n[=oo]'t[=o], _adj._ (_mus._) sustained--opp. to _Staccato_.
[It.]
TEOCALLI, te-[=o]-kal'li, _n._ one of the temples of the aborigines of
Central America, which were erected on the top of a four-sided pyramid, and
the remains of which are chiefly found in Mexico.
TEPEFY, tep'[=e]-f[=i], _v.t._ to make tepid or moderately warm:--_pa.t._
and _pa.p._ tep'ef[=i]ed.--_n._ TEPEFAC'TION, act of making tepid or
lukewarm. [L. _tepefac[)e]re_--_tep[=e]re_, to be warm, _fac[)e]re_, to
make.]
TEPHRITE, tef'r[=i]t, _n._ a name applied to certain modern volcanic
rocks.--_adj._ TEPHRIT'IC.--_ns._ TEPH'RITOID, a variety of tephrite;
TEPHI'ROITE, a reddish silicate of manganese.
TEPHROMANCY, tef'r[=o]-man-si, _n._ divination from the inspection of the
ashes of a sacrifice.--Also TEPH'RAMANCY. [Gr. _tephra_, ashes, _manteia_,
divination.]
TEPID, tep'id, _adj._ moderately warm: lukewarm.--_ns._ TEPID[=A]'RIUM, an
intermediate chamber in a Roman series of bathrooms, moderately hot: a
boiler in which the water was heated: any room containing a warm bath;
TEPID'ITY, TEP'IDNESS, lukewarmness; TEP'OR, gentle heat. [L.
_tepidus_--_tep[=e]re_, to be warm.]