tender loving care
2
2.5
- noun
- /ˈtɛndər ˈlʌvɪŋ kɛr/
- Informal
:
cuidado amoroso
- All he needs is some tender loving care from the right editor—and of course some fat residuals on any TV series based on the Bronteverse.
- need some tender loving care
- lot of tender loving care
Now I don't always put masks on every day but if I feel like my skin needs some tender loving care then I will put some.
- Now I don't always put masks on every day but if I feel like my skin needs some tender loving care then I will put some.
Examples
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They have treated my book with tender loving care and great respect for the story and its characters, which include you, my readers.
Blog text (31) -
I wanted to teach them as much as my mother would have taught them, be as patient as she would have been, and give them as much tender loving care as she would have.
Blog text (19) -
Well, they need a lot of tender loving care, honey.
-
Yeah, I think what we all need is a little tender loving care.
-
All she needs is tender loving care.
-
My girl has since recovered, but my little guy currently needs some tender loving care.
Blog text (1) -
A little stitch, a little tuck, some tender loving care.
Blog text (19) -
We're a very fragile group looking for tender, loving care, which you may not have in your repertoire.
Fiction book (1999) -
Just needs a little tender loving care that nobody's bothering to give, don't you think?
-
The elderly man receives tender loving care from the nurse at the nursing home.
Synonyms
∞
1.0
Looking after something to keep it in good condition
21
3.2
Gentle care and attention given to a person or thing
1
3.7
Looking after someone or something because it is your duty
Antonyms
How Caring
Surface Forms
Morphology
The overall meaning ('gentle, thoughtful, attentive care') is directly and transparently built from the constituents 'tender' (gentle), 'loving' (affectionate), and 'care' (providing treatment/support). This adjectival stacking simply specifies the quality of 'care' and follows straightforward compositional patterns that a B1 learner who knows the words would readily infer.
Etymology
Tender loving care paints a clear picture of someone gently looking after something fragile, like a person or an old house. Because tender, loving, and care all show soft, kind attention, the phrase is used today to mean 'gentle, thoughtful care'.