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"tendre"

By Laura K. Lawless, About.com

Definition: to tighten, tauten, tense; to hang; to set (a trap)

Je dois faire tendre les cordes de ma raquette de tennis - I need to get the strings on my tennis racket tightened.

Ils n'ont pas bien tendu cette tapisserie - They did not hang this tapestry well.

Il a tendu un piège aux intrus - He set a trap for trespassers.

(adj) soft, tender

Ce bois n'est pas assez tendre pour être sculpté - This wood is not soft enough for carving.

I find it interesting that the meanings of the verb and adjective are almost exact opposites - LKL

(click the little red + white graphic below to hear the Mot du jour pronounced)

Pronunciation: [ta(n)dr]Audio Link

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