Tender-handed

adj, adv

adj, adv ·Rare ·Advanced level

Definitions

Adjective
  1. 1
    Gentle; Having a light touch and compassionate actions.

    "Earlston must have remembered once dining in the Manse of Maxton at a Communion time; for, as his tender-handed wife took her place beside his chair to feed her helpless husband, he always lifted up his palsied hand and always said to himself, to her, and above all, to God, the 131st Psalm."

  2. 2
    With hands that are very sensitive and easily hurt.

    "Resinous splinters or rolled paper tapers were kept on the fireboard for candle lighters; also perhaps tongs for the tender-handed pipe lighter who could not handle a live coal in his hands."

Adverb
  1. 1
    Gently; With a light touch.

    "You know the old rhyme, — " ' Tender-handed touch the nettle, And it stings you for your pains ; Grasp it like a man of mettle, And it soft as silk remains.' So, little friend, difficulties vanish before resolution and action.""

Example

More examples

"Earlston must have remembered once dining in the Manse of Maxton at a Communion time; for, as his tender-handed wife took her place beside his chair to feed her helpless husband, he always lifted up his palsied hand and always said to himself, to her, and above all, to God, the 131st Psalm."

Etymology

From tender + handed.

Related phrases

More for "tender-handed"

Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.