tentative

tentative
tentatively, adv.tentativeness, n.
/ten"teuh tiv/, adj.
1. of the nature of or made or done as a trial, experiment, or attempt; experimental: a tentative report on her findings.
2. unsure; uncertain; not definite or positive; hesitant: a tentative smile on his face.
[1580-90; < ML tentativus, equiv. to L tentat(us) (ptp. of tentare, var. of TEMPTARE to test; see TEMPT) + -ivus -IVE]

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  • 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 — Tentative. s. f. v. Action par laquelle on tente, on essaye de faire reussir quelque chose. Faire une tentative auprés de quelqu un. il fit plusieurs tentatives inutiles. On appelle aussi, Tentative, Le premier acte qu on fait en Theologie. Il a… …   Dictionnaire de l'Académie française

  • 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

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