subs. (American and Colonial).—A new comer: as adj. = raw, inexperienced.
1887. L. SWINBURNE, The Bucolic Dialect of the Plains [Scribner’s Monthly, ii. Oct., 508]. ‘Pilgrim’ and ‘TENDERFOOT’ were formerly applied almost exclusively to newly imported cattle, but by a natural transferrence they are usually used to designate all newcomers, tourists, and business-men.
1885. STAVELY HILL, From Home to Home, iii. I put my naked foot on a cactus … and I realised in a substantial form the nickname that is given to the new comer out West of ‘TENDER-FOOT’ or ‘pilgrim.’
1884. PHILLLPPS-WOLLEY, The Trottings of a Tenderfoot, ch. i. How an American ever expects to digest his food is a problem to a ‘TENDER-FOOT,’ as they call us new-comers.
1885. ROOSEVELT, Hunting Trips of a Ranchman, i. Hunters … who bedizen themselves in all the traditional finery of the craft, in the hope of getting a job at guiding some ‘TENDERFOOT.’
1886. Daily Telegraph, 25 Jan. Before long the TENDERFOOT’S too fleet pony brings him abreast of the flying cow.
1896. LILLARD, Poker Stories, 86. The TENDERFOOT had announced his determination of relieving a few of the miners of what spare change they happened to have about them.
1901. W. S. WALKER, In the Blood, 59. ‘Well, you keep your eyes open for a TENDERFOOT, an’ that’s a fact,’ said Wallaby Dick.
