Obs. [f. TENDER v.1, F. tendre: cf. OF. tend(e)rie (14th c.) the act of stretching, etc., f. tendre to stretch; cf. RENDRY.]
1. An act of tendering or offering; a tender, offer, proffer; a formal offer.
1624. Bp. Mountagu, Immed. Addr., 18. I suppose it a tendry of Kindness rather, a Gentle Inuitation, to come and Call.
1656. Heylin, Surv. France, 322. The Tenants made no tendry of this Champart, and so it lay amongst concealments.
a. 1667. Jer. Taylor, Reverence due to Altar, Wks. 1849, V. 319. A tendry of our service.
1681–6. J. Scott, Chr. Life, II. vii. § 5. God … had as undoubted a Right to exchange them with Christ’s for his Life, upon the free Tendry which he made of it.
2. spec. The tendering or delivering of something to be mentally accepted or considered; hence, a doctrine delivered or presented for acceptance, a deliverance; pl. articles of belief, tenets.
1624. Bp. Mountagu, Immed. Addr., 146. In Gods Precepts and Tendries of beleefe, I will subiect … my enquiring into plaine beleefe.
1636. Heylin, Sabbath, I. Pref. A v. You would not shut your eyes, against the tendrie of those truths. Ibid. (1652–62), Cosmogr., I. (1677), 209/1. Arianism: not ejurated till the year 588, when that whole Nation did submit to more Catholick tendries. Ibid. (a. 1662), Laud (1668), 261. The general Tendries of the Protestant, Lutheran, and Calvinian Writers beyond the Seas.
1675. V. Alsop, Anti-Sozzo, 467. Religion must appear before the Tribunal of Reason; and if it does not acquit itself well, and give a Rational and Satisfactory account of its Tendries, it must be bored through the Tongue with a red-hot Iron for an Heretic.
