tenasadj.n.
/ˈtɛnas/ North American colloquial.
In north-western North America: small. Also as n., and in tenas man n. [compare kloochman n. at klooch n.] a child.
ΘΚΠ
the world > people > person > child > [noun]
wenchelc890
childeOE
littleOE
littlingOE
hired-childc1275
smalla1300
brolla1325
innocentc1325
chickc1330
congeonc1330
impc1380
faunt1382
young onec1384
scionc1390
weea1400
birdc1405
chickenc1440
enfaunta1475
small boyc1475
whelp1483
burden1490
little one1509
brat?a1513
younkerkin1528
kitling1541
urchin1556
loneling1579
breed1586
budling1587
pledge?1587
ragazzo1591
simplicity1592
bantling1593
tadpole1594
two-year-old1594
bratcheta1600
lambkin1600
younker1601
dandling1611
buda1616
eyas-musketa1616
dovelinga1618
whelplinga1618
puppet1623
butter printa1625
chit1625
piggy1625
ninnyc1626
youngster1633
fairya1635
lap-child1655
chitterling1675
squeaker1676
cherub1680
kid1690
wean1692
kinchin1699
getlingc1700
totum17..
charity-child1723
small girl1734
poult1739
elfin1748
piggy-wiggy1766
piccaninny1774
suck-thumb18..
teeny1802
olive1803
sprout1813
stumpie1820
sexennarian1821
totty1822
toddle1825
toddles1828
poppet1830
brancher1833
toad1836
toddler1837
ankle-biter1840
yarkera1842
twopenny1844
weeny1844
tottykins1849
toddlekins1852
brattock1858
nipper1859
sprat1860
ninepins1862
angelet1868
tenas man1870
tad1877
tacker1885
chavvy1886
joey1887
toddleskin1890
thumb-sucker1891
littlie1893
peewee1894
tyke1894
che-ild1896
kiddo1896
mother's bairn1896
childling1903
kipper1905
pick1905
small1907
God forbid1909
preadolescent1909
subadolescent1914
toto1914
snookums1919
tweenie1919
problem child1920
squirt1924
trottie1924
tiddler1927
subteen1929
perisher1935
poopsie1937
pre-schooler1937
pre-teen1938
pre-teener1940
juvie1941
sprog1944
pikkie1945
subteenager1947
pre-teenager1948
pint-size1954
saucepan lid1960
rug rat1964
smallie1984
bosom-child-
the world > space > extension in space > measurable spatial extent > smallness > [adjective]
smallOE
littleOE
litec1275
a little wightc1275
petitc1390
weea1525
pusill1599
slender1610
lile1633
scantling1652
piccaninny1707
pinkie1718
insignificant1748
baby1750
leetle1755
tiddy1781
bit1786
inconsiderable1796
itty1798
peerie1808
tittya1825
titty-tottya1825
ickle1846
tiddly1868
peewee1877
lil1881
shirttail1881
inextensive1890
puny1898
liddle1906
pint-sized1921
pint-size1925
peedie1929
tenas1935
itsy-bitsy1938
itty-bitty1940
titchy1950
scrappy1985
1870 Mainland Guardian (New Westminster, Brit. Columbia) 16 Apr. 3/3 There trip about a few Tenass-men, some with the remains of an old coat and beaver hat, and some [in] almost naked savagedom.
1904 Wide World Mag. Sept. 541/2 Klootchmen, tenasses, old bucks, and young hunters..were crowded on the schooner's deck.
1935 H. L. Davis Honey in Horn xxii. 371 Nobody but this tenas buck [i.e. small Indian] here.
1969 Islander (Victoria, Brit. Columbia) 19 Oct. 3/2 They were very insolent..laughing at the tenass warship for wasting her powder and shot.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1986; most recently modified version published online March 2019).
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adj.n.1870