a. Also 7 -atious, -aceous. [f. L. tenāx, tenāci- holding fast (f. ten-ēre to hold) + -OUS: see -ACIOUS.]
1. a. Holding together, cohesive; tough; not easily pulled in pieces or broken.
1607. Topsell, Four-f. Beasts (1658), 152. The bones of Fishes are more tenacious.
1750. trans. Leonardus’ Mirr. Stones, 71. Amiaton is a Stone of a lucid Colour and thready, like feathered Alumn, but more tenacious.
1834. Brit. Husb., I. xiii. 310. It acts as manure physically, or substantially, through the effect of the clay in rendering soils tenacious.
1869. Roscoe, Elem. Chem. (1871), 185. Gun-metal, or bronze, is a hard and tenacious alloy.
b. Adhesive; viscous, glutinous; sticky.
1641. Wilkins, Math. Magick, II. xii. (1648), 251. Provided, that this oyl … bee supposed of so close and tenacious substance, that may slowly evaporate.
1697. Dryden, Virg. Georg., IV. 58. Not Birdlime, or Idean Pitch, produce A more tenacious Mass of clammy Juice.
1784. Cowper, Task, I. 216. Female feet, Too weak to struggle with tenacious clay.
1868. Carpenter, in Sci. Opinion, 6 Jan. (1869), 174/2. The bottom consisted of a bluish-white tenacious mud.
2. Holding fast or inclined to hold fast; grasping hard; clinging tightly.
1656. Blount, Glossogr., Tenacious, that holds fast,… good and sure.
1681. trans. Willis’ Rem. Med. Wks., Vocab., Tenacious, holding or cleaving fast.
1800–24. Campbell, Poems, Chaucer of Windsor, 4. Old oaks … Whose gnarled roots, tenacious and profound.
1869. Tozer, Highl. Turkey, I. 232. The palluria … is covered all over with tenacious hooked prickles.
3. Keeping a firm hold, retentive of something.
c. 1645. Howell, Lett. (1650), II. ii. 2. The Badger … is said to be so tenacious of his bite, that he will not give over his hold, till hee feels his teeth meet.
1726. Leoni, Alberti’s Archit., I. 27/1. The Fir … is … very dry, and very tenacious of the Glue.
1758. R. Brown, Compl. Farmer, II. (1760), 23. All … are very tenacious of water on the surface.
4. fig. Strongly retaining or inclined to retain, persist in, preserve, or maintain (a principle, method, secret, etc.); holding persistently; of memory, retentive. Const. of.
1640–1. Ld. J. Digby, Sp. in Ho. Com., 9 Feb., 13. A man tenatious of the liberty … of the subject.
1656. Earl Monm., trans. Boccalini’s Advts. fr. Parnass. The tenacious memory of benefits received.
1657. Jer. Taylor, Disc Friendship, ¶ 13. Free of his money and tenacious of a secret.
1708. Rowe, Royal Convert, I. i. Tenacious of his purpose once resolv’d.
1789. William Hill Brown, The power of Sympathy, I. 83. Those of the southern states, accustomed to a habit of domineering over their slaves, are haughtier, more tenacious of honour, and indeed possess more of an aristocratick temper than their sisters of the confederacy.
1800. Mavor, Nat. Hist. (1811), 230. The frog is remarkably tenacious of life.
1877. Froude, Short Stud. (1883), IV. I. xii. 145. He had read largely, and his memory was extremely tenacious.
1898. J. T. Fowler, Durham Cath., 62. So tenacious are boys of traditional terms.
5. Persistently continuing; persistent; resolute; perseveringly firm; obstinate, stubborn, pertinacious.
1656. Blount, Glossagr., Tenacious,… also hard to be moved, stiff necked.
1661. Lovell, Hist. Anim. & Min., Introd. The life is more tenacious in them, than in the sanguineous.
1750. Johnson, Rambler, No. 14, ¶ 14. He is hot and dogmatical, quick in opposition and tenacious in defence.
1861. Stanley, East. Ch., vi. (1869), 193. Tenacious ndherence to the ancient God of Light.
† 6. spec. Unwilling to part with or spend money or the like; close-fisted, niggardly. Also transf.
1676. Dryden, Aurengzebe, V. i. 82. True love’s a Miser; so tenacious grown, He weighs to the least grain of what’s his own.
1681–6. J. Scott, Chr. Life (1747), III. 79. Give me a covetous, a niggardly and tenacious Man; I will return him to thee liberal.
† 7. Persistently chary of or averse to any action. (erroneous use.) Obs.
1766. Compl. Farmer, s.v. Tuberose, Mons. Le Cour, of Leyden … for many years was so tenacious of parting with any of the roots … that he caused them to be cut in pieces, that he might have the vanity to boast of being the only person in Europe who was possessed of this power.
1802. Marian Moore, Lascelles, I. 142. Since the adventure … Mrs. Carisbrooke had been very tenacious of being late on the road.
1811. R. Cecil’s Wks., I. 69. Mr. Cecil … was tenacious of being interrupted in his pursuits.
