The phrase "wast tender" may sound unusual to some, but it is actually an old-fashioned way of saying "were tender." The spelling "wast" is a contraction of "were" and "thou" in Early Modern English. The "tender" here means "sensitive" or "delicate." In IPA phonetic transcription, "wast tender" would be pronounced as /wɑst ˈtɛndər/. While this may not be a common phrase used in modern English, it provides insight into the development of language over time.
"Wast tender" is an archaic phrase that combines two terms, "wast" and "tender," both of which have distinct meanings. "Wast" is an abbreviated form of the word "waste," which means to consume or use up, deplete, or squander. It's often used to describe the act of using resources, time, or opportunities recklessly or without regard for their value or potential. "Wast" can also refer to the past tense of the verb "to be." In this case, it signifies a historical or obsolete form of the word "was" and is primarily found in older texts, particularly those written in Middle English or Early Modern English.
On the other hand, "tender" typically relates to something that is delicate, soft, or easily injured. It can describe the quality of being gentle, sensitive, or vulnerable in character or appearance. "Tender" is also commonly used to refer to an offer or proposal that is being made, particularly in legal or commercial contexts, indicating a formal submission or bid for consideration.
When taken together as "wast tender," the phrase appears to convey a sense of excessive consumption, wastefulness, or carelessness combined with a gentle or delicate nature. However, without further contextual information or historical references, it is challenging to determine the precise meaning or significance of this phrase.
The phrase "wast tender" does not have a specific etymology on its own as it seems to be a combination of two separate words: "wast" and "tender". Let's look at the etymology of each word individually:
1. "Wast": This is an archaic form of the word "were", which is the second person singular past tense of the verb "be". In Old English, the second person singular form of "be" was "wære", which evolved into "waest" and later "wast" in Middle English. It eventually became obsolete, and modern English now uses "were" as the second person singular past tense of "be".
2. "Tender": The word "tender" comes from the Old French term "tendre", meaning "soft" or "delicate". It was derived from the Latin word "tener", with the same meaning.