tender-eyed

tender-eyed

A young mother gazes at her baby with a tender-eyed expression.

Definition
  1. Adjective:
    • Having gentle or soft eyes: "tender-eyed" describes a person or animal whose eyes convey a quality of gentleness, kindness, or sensitivity.
    • Having weak or sensitive eyes: In some contexts, "tender-eyed" can refer to eyes that are delicate, easily strained, or prone to discomfort.
Usage Examples

  • Gentle eyes:

    • The old woman was tender-eyed, her gaze full of compassion for the children. (Her eyes showed a soft, caring nature.)
    • The puppy had a tender-eyed look that made everyone want to cuddle it. (Its eyes appeared gentle and affectionate.)

  • Weak or sensitive eyes:

    • After hours of reading in the dim light, he became tender-eyed and had to rest. (His eyes felt strained and uncomfortable.)
    • She was tender-eyed as a child, often squinting in bright sunlight. (Her eyes were delicate and easily bothered.)
Advanced Usage

  • "tender-eyed sorrow": a poetic or literary phrase describing eyes that express sadness in a gentle way.

    • She looked at him with tender-eyed sorrow, unable to speak. (Her eyes conveyed a soft, mournful emotion.)

  • "tender-eyed youth": used to describe a young person whose eyes appear innocent or vulnerable.

    • The tender-eyed youth hesitated at the door, unsure of what to do. (His eyes reflected innocence and hesitation.)
Variants and Related Words

  • Tender (adj): soft, gentle, or delicate in nature.

    • Her tender touch calmed the frightened animal. (Gentle and caring.)

  • Eyed (adj): having a specified type or number of eyes (used in compounds like "blue-eyed", "sharp-eyed").

    • The sharp-eyed detective noticed the clue immediately. (Having keen vision.)
Synonyms
  • Gentle-eyed: having eyes that appear kind or mild.
  • Soft-eyed: having eyes that look tender or vulnerable.
  • Weak-eyed: having eyes that are sensitive or easily fatigued.
Related Idioms

  • To have eyes like a doe: to have large, gentle, and innocent-looking eyes.

    • Her eyes like a doe made her seem fragile and tender-eyed. (A simile for gentle eyes.)

  • To be tender-eyed as a lamb: to have eyes that convey innocence and softness.

    • The child was tender-eyed as a lamb, trusting everyone. (Eyes full of naive gentleness.)