Part 490

TENDRE, Fr. To stretch; to spread. This word has various significations in the French language. In military matters, it is common to say,

TENDRE un piège à quelqu’un, Fr. To lay a snare for any body.

TENDRE une marquise, une tente, Fr. To pitch a marquee, a tent.

TENIR, Fr. To hold, to keep, &c.

TENIR tête à quelqu’un, Fr. To cope with any body.

Se TENIR, Fr. To remain; to stay; to hold fast.

Se TENIR bien à cheval, Fr. To sit well on horseback, to have a good seat.

TENON, (Tenon, Fr.) Any thing that holds or keeps fast; that part of a frame work which is cut to fit a mortise.

TENON d’arquebuse, Fr. Loop of a gun.

TENT, (Tente, Fr.) This word is originally derived from the Latin tendo, I stretch; whence tendre, to stretch. A soldier’s moveable lodging place, commonly made of canvas, and extended upon poles.

The sizes of the officers tents are not fixed; some regiments have them of one size, and some another. A captain’s tent and marquee should be 10¹⁄₂ feet broad, 14 deep, and 8 high: those of the subalterns are a foot less: the major’s and lieutenant-colonel’s, a foot larger; and the colonel’s 2 feet larger.

The subalterns lie two in a tent, those of engineers but one.

The tents of private men should be 6¹⁄₂ feet square, 6 feet high, and hold 5 soldiers each.

The tents for the horse seven feet broad, and 9 feet deep: they hold likewise 5 men and their horse accoutrements.

Common Infantry TENT. Length of ridge pole is 7 feet; length of standards 6 feet. They hold only 5 men each. Weight complete 27 lbs. Great alterations have taken place in tents since the French revolution.

Bell TENT. This was the name of a small tent that was formerly in use, also called a tent of arms, being used only for holding arms in the front of the line; the use of it is now exploded; and the form being given to those now used for infantry or cavalry; weight, complete with poles, 43 lbs. length of pole 9 feet, contain 12 men each, require 40 pegs.

Marquee. Weight complete, 1 cwt. 17 lbs. ridge pole 9 feet; standard 8 feet.

Round TENT. A circular tent which contains 12 men; the weight complete, with poles, 43 lbs. Length of pole 10 feet.

Hospital TENT. A large commodious tent, which is appropriated for the sick. It sometimes happens, that when a contagious disorder breaks out in a camp, or in barracks, the persons infected are removed from the hospital and lodged in a tent, which is pitched for that purpose in the neighborhood. It is usual for the commanding officer of the regiment to order one or more sentries to be furnished to the regimental hospital, and the same to the hospital tent, which sentries are directed to permit no person to enter but those concerned in the hospital, the staffs and officers of the regiment. They are to be particularly careful in preventing liquor, or any thing improper, from being carried into the hospital; nor are they to permit any patient to go out (to the necessary excepted) without a ticket of leave from the attending surgeon.

Laboratory TENT, in artillery, a large tent which is sometimes carried to the field for the convenience of fire-workers and bombardiers. The weight complete, with poles, pins, &c. 3 cwt. 24 lbs. length of ridge pole 18 feet, length of poles 14¹⁄₂ feet.

TENT bedstead. A small portable bedstead, so contrived as to correspond with the shape of an officer’s tent.

TENT-Pins, pieces of wood, which are indented at the top, and made sharp at the bottom, to keep the cords of a tent or marquee firm to the earth. There are four large ones which serve for the weather cords.

TENT-Poles. The poles upon which a tent or marquee is supported.

TENT walls. See WALL.

TENT likewise means lint to put in a wound.

TENTED. Having tents pitched on it. Hence “the tented field.”

TERRAIN, Fr. This word is sometimes written terrein, and signifies, generally, any space or extent of ground.

Gagner du TERRAIN peu-à-peu, Fr. To gain ground little by little.