Tend

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -É›nd

From Middle English tenden, from Old English tendan ("to kindle, set on fire") (usually in compounds ātendan, fortendan, ontendan), from Proto-Germanic *tandijaną ("to kindle"), of unknown origin. Cognate with Danish tænde ("to kindle"), Swedish tända ("to kindle"), Gothic (tandjan, "to kindle"), Icelandic tendra ("to ignite"), German zünden ("to light, ignite, fire"). Related to tinder.

Alternative forms

• teend, tende, tind, tinde, teen
• teind, tynd, tynde, tine Scotland

Full definition of tend

Verb

1. (transitive, now chiefly dialectal) To kindle; ignite; set on fire; light; inflame; burn.

Derived terms

• atend, attend

From Middle English *tenden, from Old French tendre ("to stretch, stretch out, hold forth, offer, tender"), from Latin tendere ("to strech, stretch out, extend, spread out").

Verb

1. (legal, Old English law) To make a tender of; to offer or tender.
2. (followed by a to infinitive) To be likely, or probable to do something, or to have a certain characteristic. from the mid-14th c.They tend to go out on Saturdays.It tends to snow here in winter.

Usage notes

In sense 2. this is a catenative verb that takes the to infinitive.

See

Derived terms

• tendency

From Middle English tenden, by apheresis of attenden ("to attend"). More at attend.

Verb

1. (with to) To look after (e.g. an ill person.) from the early 14th c.We need to tend to the garden, which has become a mess.
2. To accompany as an assistant or protector; to care for the wants of; to look after; to watch; to guard.Shepherds tend their flocks.
• EmersonThere's not a sparrow or a wren,
  There's not a blade of autumn grain,
  Which the four seasons do not tend
  And tides of life and increase lend.
3. To wait (upon), as attendants or servants; to serve; to attend.
• ShakespeareWas he not companion with the riotous knights
  That tend upon my father?
4. (obsolete) To await; to expect.
5. (obsolete) To be attentive to; to note carefully; to attend to.
• ChapmanBeing to descend
  A ladder much in height, I did not tend
  My way well down.
6. (transitive, nautical) To manage (an anchored vessel) when the tide turns, to prevent it from entangling the cable when swinging.

Anagrams

• dent