Auction vs. Tender — What's the Difference?

An auction is usually a process of buying and selling goods or services by offering them up for bid, taking bids, and then selling the item to the highest bidder or buying the item from the lowest bidder. Some exceptions to this definition exist and are described in the section about different types.

Showing gentleness, kindness, and affection

A public sale in which property or items of merchandise are sold to the highest bidder.

(of food) easy to cut or chew; not tough

(Games) See auction bridge.

(of a part of the body) sensitive to pain

To sell at or by an auction

Young, inexperienced, or vulnerable

A public event where goods or property are sold to the highest bidder.

(of a ship) leaning or readily inclined to roll in response to the wind.

(bridge) The first stage of a deal, in which players bid to determine the final contract.

Offer or present (something) formally

To sell at an auction.

An offer to carry out work, supply goods, or buy land, shares, or another asset at a stated fixed price

A public sale of property to the highest bidder, esp. by a person licensed and authorized for the purpose; a vendue.

A vehicle used by a fire service for carrying specified supplies or equipment or fulfilling a specified role

The things sold by auction or put up to auction.

A dinghy or other boat used to ferry people and supplies to and from a ship.

To sell by auction.

A trailing vehicle closely coupled to a steam locomotive to carry fuel and water.

A variety of bridge in which tricks made in excess of the contract are scored toward game; now generally superseded by contract bridge

A person who looks after someone else or a machine or place

The public sale of something to the highest bidder

Easily crushed or bruised; fragile

Sell at an auction

Easily chewed or cut

Young and vulnerable

Frail; delicate.

Sensitive to frost or severe cold; not hardy

Easily hurt; sensitive

Painful; sore

Considerate and protective; solicitous

Characterized by or expressing gentle emotions; loving

Given to sympathy or sentimentality; soft

(Nautical) Likely to heel easily under sail; crank.

To make tender.

To offer formally

(Law) To offer (payment or performance) pursuant to an obligation.

A strip of meat, usually chicken, often breaded, deep-fried, and served with a sauce.

(Law) An offer to pay the amount due under a debt or obligation.

A written offer to contract goods or services at a specified cost or rate; a bid.

Something, especially money, offered in payment.

One who tends something

(Nautical) A vessel attendant on other vessels, especially one that ferries supplies between ship and shore.

A railroad car attached to the rear of a locomotive and designed to carry fuel and water.

Sensitive or painful to the touch.

Easily bruised or injured; not firm or hard; delicate.

Physically weak; not able to endure hardship.

(of food) Soft and easily chewed.

Sensible to impression and pain; easily pained.

Fond, loving, gentle, or sweet.

Young and inexperienced.

Adapted to excite feeling or sympathy; expressive of the softer passions; pathetic.

Apt to give pain; causing grief or pain; delicate.

(nautical) Heeling over too easily when under sail; said of a vessel.

(obsolete) Exciting kind concern; dear; precious.

(obsolete) Careful to keep inviolate, or not to injure; used with of.

(obsolete) Care, kind concern, regard.

The inner flight muscle (pectoralis minor) of poultry.

(obsolete) Someone who tends or waits on someone.

(rail transport) A railroad car towed behind a steam engine to carry fuel and water.

(nautical) A naval ship that functions as a mobile base for other ships.

(nautical) A smaller boat used for transportation between a large ship and the shore.

Anything which is offered, proffered, put forth or bid with the expectation of a response, answer, or reply.

A means of payment such as a check or cheque, cash or credit card.

(legal) A formal offer to buy or sell something.

Any offer or proposal made for acceptance.

Tenderly

To make tender or delicate; to weaken.

(archaic) To feel tenderly towards; to regard fondly or with consideration.

To work on a tender.

(formal) To offer, to give.

To offer a payment, as at sales or auctions.

One who tends; one who takes care of any person or thing; a nurse.

A vessel employed to attend other vessels, to supply them with provisions and other stores, to convey intelligence, or the like.

A car attached to a locomotive, for carrying a supply of fuel and water.

An offer, either of money to pay a debt, or of service to be performed, in order to save a penalty or forfeiture, which would be incurred by nonpayment or nonperformance; as, the tender of rent due, or of the amount of a note, with interest.

Any offer or proposal made for acceptance; as, a tender of a loan, of service, or of friendship; a tender of a bid for a contract.

The thing offered; especially, money offered in payment of an obligation.

Regard; care; kind concern.

To offer in payment or satisfaction of a demand, in order to save a penalty or forfeiture; as, to tender the amount of rent or debt.

To offer in words; to present for acceptance.

To have a care of; to be tender toward; hence, to regard; to esteem; to value.

Easily impressed, broken, bruised, or injured; not firm or hard; delicate; as, tender plants; tender flesh; tender fruit.

Sensible to impression and pain; easily pained.

Physically weak; not hardly or able to endure hardship; immature; effeminate.

Susceptible of the softer passions, as love, compassion, kindness; compassionate; pitiful; anxious for another's good; easily excited to pity, forgiveness, or favor; sympathetic.

Exciting kind concern; dear; precious.

Careful to save inviolate, or not to injure; - with of.

Unwilling to cause pain; gentle; mild.

Adapted to excite feeling or sympathy; expressive of the softer passions; pathetic; as, tender expressions; tender expostulations; a tender strain.

Apt to give pain; causing grief or pain; delicate; as, a tender subject.

Heeling over too easily when under sail; - said of a vessel.

Something used as an official medium of payment

Someone who waits on or tends to or attends to the needs of another

A formal proposal to buy at a specified price

Car attached to a locomotive to carry fuel and water

A boat for communication between ship and shore

Ship that usually provides supplies to other ships

Offer or present for acceptance

Propose a payment;

Make a tender of; in legal settlements

Make tender or more tender as by marinating, pounding, or applying a tenderizer;

Given to sympathy or gentleness or sentimentality;

Hurting;

Susceptible to physical or emotional injury;

Having or displaying warmth or affection;

Easy to cut or chew;

Physically untoughened;

(used of boats) inclined to heel over easily under sail

(of plants) not hardy; easily killed by adverse growing condition;