Dictionnaire de l'Académie française . 1964.
tentative — [ tɑ̃tativ ] n. f. • XVIIe; « épreuve de théologie » 1546; lat. scolast. tentativa, de tentare « tenter » ♦ Action par laquelle on s efforce, on essaie d obtenir un résultat. ⇒ essai. Tentative d évasion. Tentative de suicide. Tentative de greffe … Encyclopédie Universelle
tentative — UK US /ˈtentətɪv/ adjective ► not certain or agreed: »The car company and the union reached a tentative agreement. »a tentative deal/plan/settlement »The proposals are tentative and subject to bargaining. ► said or done in a careful way because… … Financial and business terms
tentative — [ten′tə tiv] adj. [LL tentativus < pp. of L tentare, to touch, try: see TENT2] 1. made, done, proposed, etc. experimentally or provisionally; not definite or final [tentative plans, a tentative explanation] 2. indicating timidity, hesitancy,… … English World dictionary
Tentative — Ten*ta tive, a. [L. tentare to try: cf. F. tentatif. See {Tempt}.] Of or pertaining to a trial or trials; essaying; experimental. A slow, tentative manner. Carlyle. {Ten*ta tive*ly}, adv. [1913 Webster] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Tentative — Ten*ta tive, n. [Cf. F. tentative.] An essay; a trial; an experiment. Berkley. [1913 Webster] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
tentative — I adjective cautious, conditional, contingent, dependent, experimental, exploratory, groping, interim, probationary, probative, proposed, provisional, provisory, questionable, speculative, temporary, trial, undecided, unsettled associated… … Law dictionary
tentative — [adj1] conditional, experimental acting, ad interim, conjectural, contingent, dependent, iffy*, indefinite, makeshift, not final, not settled, on trial, open for consideration, probationary, provisional, provisionary, provisory, speculative,… … New thesaurus
tentative — 1580s, from M.L. tentativus trying, testing, from L. tentatus, pp. of tentare to feel, try, (variant of temptare to feel, try, test ). Related: Tentatively … Etymology dictionary
tentative — *provisional Analogous words: *temporary, ad interim, acting: testing, trying, demonstrating, proving (see PROVE) Antonyms: definitive … New Dictionary of Synonyms
tentative — ► ADJECTIVE 1) done without confidence; hesitant. 2) not certain or fixed; provisional. DERIVATIVES tentatively adverb tentativeness noun. ORIGIN Latin tentativus, from temptare handle, try … English terms dictionary
