tidder

Meaning

To treat with tenderness; fondle

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: tidren

Inherited from Old English: tīdrian

Cognate with Old English: tiddre

Cognate with Western Frisian: tear

Cognate with Dutch: teder

In summary

From Middle English tidren, from Old English tīdrian, tȳdrian (“to become weak or infirm; be frail”), from Proto-Germanic *tūdrijaną (“to become brittle or weak; exhaust”), from Proto-Germanic *tūdrijaz (“brittle; weak; exhausted”), equivalent to tid + -er.
Related to Old English tiddre, tyddre, tēdre, tīdre, tȳdre (“weak; fragile”), West Frisian tear (“tender; gentle”), Dutch teder (“tender; fond; gentle; loving”), German Low German teder (“fine; delicate; sensitive; tender; weak”).