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tend¹

(tĕnd)

intr.v. tend·ed, tend·ing, tends

1. To have a tendency: paint that tends toward bubbling and peeling over time.

2. To be disposed or inclined: tends toward exaggeration.

3. To move or extend in a certain direction: Our ship tended northward.

[Middle English tenden, from Old French tendre, from Latin tendere; see ten- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

tend²

(tĕnd)

v. tend·ed, tend·ing, tends

v.tr.

1. To have the care of; watch over; look after: tend a child.

2. To manage the activities and transactions of; run: tend bar; tend a store in the owner's absence.

v.intr.

1. To be an attendant or servant.

2. To apply one's attention; attend: no time to tend to my diary.

[Middle English tenden, short for attenden, to wait on; see ATTEND.]

Synonyms: tend², attend, mind, minister, watch
These verbs mean to have the care or supervision of something: tended her plants; attends the sick; minded the neighbor's children; ministered to flood victims; watched the house while the owners were away.

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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