Wiktionary

tentative

English

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Etymology

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From Medieval Latin tentātīvus (“trying, testing”), from tentō, past participle tentātus (“to try, test”); see tent, tempt.

Pronunciation

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  • IPA(key): /ˈtɛntətɪv/
  • Audio (Southern England):(file)
  • Hyphenation: ten‧ta‧tive

Noun

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tentative (plural tentatives)

  1. A trial; an experiment; an attempt.
  2. (Malaysia) A schedule for an event or a programme.

Adjective

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tentative (comparative more tentative, superlative most tentative)

  1. Of or pertaining to a trial or trials; essaying; experimental.
  2. Uncertain; subject to future change.
    • 2009 May 3, Manohla Dargis, A. O. Scott, “Memos to Hollywood”, in The New York Times‎[1]:
      Meanwhile, a bunch of hungry directors with digital cameras, time on their hands and not much money are making free-form studies about tentative hookups and long conversations among actual, overeducated, undermotivated young folks.
  3. Restrained; polite; feeling one's way, not using full force.
    (Can we add an example for this sense?)

Antonyms

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Derived terms

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Translations

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Further reading

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Anagrams

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French

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Etymology

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Borrowed from Medieval Latin tentātīva, from tentō (“to attempt”).

Pronunciation

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Noun

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tentative f (plural tentatives)

  1. attempt, try, effort (particularly of something difficult or risky)
    1. general senses
      Synonym: essai
      faire une tentative de quelque chose ― to make an attempt at something
      faire une tentative pour faire quelque chose ― make an attempt to do something
      la première tentative avortée ― the first aborted attempt
      une deuxième tentative infructueuse ― a second unsuccessful attempt
      résoudre de faire une dernière tentative ― resolve to make one last attempt
      des longues années de tentatives échouées ― long years of failed attempts
    2. (law) an attempted infraction of law
      tentative de viol ― (please add an English translation of this usage example)
      tentative d’enlèvement ― (please add an English translation of this usage example)
      commettre une tentative d’homicide ― (please add an English translation of this usage example)
      accusé de la tentative d’assassinat d’un homme politique ― (please add an English translation of this usage example)
      L’homme en question est suspecté de la tentative de meurtre sur sa femme. ― (please add an English translation of this usage example)
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References

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German

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Pronunciation

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Adjective

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tentative

  1. inflection of tentativ:
    1. strong/mixed nominative/accusative feminine singular
    2. strong nominative/accusative plural
    3. weak nominative all-gender singular
    4. weak accusative feminine/neuter singular
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