tenderness
/ˈtɛn.dɚ.nɪs/ noun B2- Quality, state or condition of being tender. · He picked her up in his arms with great tenderness.
- A tendency to express warm, compassionate feelings. · When the lovers were together, their cold indifference gave way to love and tenderness.
- A concern for the feelings or welfare of others. · When they saw the poor orphans, they were overwhelmed with tenderness for them.· Everybody needs a little tenderness sometimes.
- A pain or discomfort when an affected area is touched. · He noted her extreme tenderness when he touched the bruise on her thigh.
Plural tendernesses
From the library
“Never mind, Renée,” replied the marquise, with a look of tenderness that seemed out of keeping with her harsh dry features; but, however all other feelings may be withered in a woman’s nature, there is always one bright smiling spot in the desert of her heart, and that is the shrine of maternal love.
“Dear, good Renée,” whispered Villefort, as he gazed with unutterable tenderness on the lovely speaker.
“I knew you would not shrink at the last,” said he, and for a moment I saw something in his eyes which was nearer to tenderness than I had ever seen.
Marilla looked at her with a tenderness that would never have been suffered to reveal itself in any clearer light than that soft mingling of fireshine and shadow.
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