tenacen.
/ˈtɛnəs/ Whist and Bridge.
A name given to the combination of two cards of any suit, consisting of the next higher and the next lower in value than a card (in Whist, the highest card) held by the other side, esp. when this combination is held by the fourth player: see quot. 1746. Used esp. in to have the tenace, formerly tenaces.
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society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > game > card game > whist > [noun] > combinations of cards
tenace1655
singleton1876
1655 J. Cotgrave Wits Interpreter (1662) 356 If you have Tenaces in your hand, that is two cards which, if you have the Leading, you are sure to lose one of them; if the Player lead to you, you are sure to win them both.
1710 J. Swift Lett. (1767) III. 17 Then in that game of spades, you blundered when you had ten-ace.
1746 E. Hoyle Whist (ed. 6) 70 Having the Tenace in any Suit supposes the having the first and third best Cards, and being the last Player, and consequently you catch the Adversary when that Suit is play'd.
?1870 F. Hardy & J. R. Ware Mod. Hoyle 12 Tenaces... 1st major tenace—ace, queen. 2nd major tenace—king, knave. 3rd major tenace—queen, ten... 1st minor tenace—four, two. 2nd minor tenace—five, three. 3rd minor tenace—six, four.
?1870 F. Hardy & J. R. Ware Mod. Hoyle 19 Tenaces are always most valuable, because most certain, to the fourth player.
1905 ‘Cut-Cavendish’ Compl. Bridge Player 11 Tenace, the best and the third best cards of any suit, ace and queen if the king has not been played.
1936 E. H. Downes 51 The Declarer..knows that the opponent being End-Played will be forced to make a return lead in a suit in which the Declarer holds a tenace position.
1959 Listener 10 Sept. 414/1 The K J 8 will still constitute a tenace over the 10 9 x.
1984 Guardian 6 Oct. 17/2 The ten of diamonds now end~played West to return a club into declarer's tenace.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1911; most recently modified version published online March 2019).
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n.1655