A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. X).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1375-1578, 1700+
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Tendirly, -ie, Tenderly(e, -ie, adv. Also: tendyrly, -ie, tendarly, teyndirly, toundirly. [ME and e.m.E. tenderly (Cursor M.), tendrely (Chaucer), tendirly (Wyclif).] Affectionately, kindly, lovingly; compassionately, pityingly; delicately.(a) 1375 Barb. xvi 232.
Ane of thaim … He saw greyt wonder tenderly a1400 Legends of the Saints i 340.
Nero … This Symon luffit sa tendirly c1390 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 19.
We pray yhow tendirly … that [etc.] ?1438 Alex. ii 2240.
Tendarly c1420 Ratis Raving 952.
Treit thi wyf rycht tendyrly c1420 Wynt. ii 1498.
The madynys thai norysyde tendyrly 1456 Hay II 99/17.
To pray tenderly to God for him and to have grete luferent till him 1460 Hay Alex. 2209.
[He] tuk the quene and kissit hir tenderlie 1490 Irland Mir. III 97/14.
Hir body is iunyt tendirlie with his body 1490 Irland Mir. III 103/1.
Tendirlie 1492 Myll Spectakle of Luf 284/23.
Tenderlye c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 219.
He ful tendirly dois turne to me … dois ȝolk me in armys 1513 Doug. vi vii 63.
The terys leyt he fall, and tendyrly With hartly lufe begrat hir thus 1528 Lynd. Dreme 9.
Tenderlie 1547–8 Corr. M. Lorraine 214.
Gif thay thynk to hawe hartlynes they suld traist ws moir tendyrly a1578 Pitsc. I 248/14.
To speik witht the king of France and commond kyndlie and tenderlie witht him as he pleissit(b) a1400 Legends of the Saints xxxiii 594.
Dere son I pray thé teyndirly That thu [etc.](c) 1424 State P. (Reg. H.) No. 15.
Vs worthis toundirly the ordonance of ȝhure noble depute … to ȝour gracius hamecummyng
b. Carefully. c1420 Ratis Raving 185.
Thir have I reknit out, Sa that thow may persaif thar-by To kep that vertew tendirly a1540 Freiris Berw. 137 (M).
This fayr wyf … thringis on fat capounis on the speit … And bade hir madin … To flame and turne and rost thame tendyrlie 1707 Rothesay Par. Rec. 236.
Engageing to walk circumspectlie and tenderlie for the future
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"Tendirly adv.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 14 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/tendirly_adv>
