attend

at·tend

verb \ə-ˈtend\

Definition of ATTEND

transitive verb

1

: to pay attention to

2

: to look after : take charge of <campsites…attended by park rangers — Jackson Rivers>

3

a : to go or stay with as a companion, nurse, or servant b : to visit professionally especially as a physician

4

archaic a : to wait for b : to be in store for

5

: to be present with : accompany

6

: to be present at : go to <attend law school>

intransitive verb

1

: to apply oneself <attend to your work>

2

: to apply the mind or pay attention : heed

3

a : to be ready for service <ministers who attend upon the king> b : to be present

4

obsolete : wait, stay

5

: to direct one's attention : see <I'll attend to that>

— at·tend·er noun

Examples of ATTEND

1. My husband and I will both attend the banquet.
2. How many people attended the baseball game?
3. He won't be attending the conference.
4. How many people will be attending?
5. She attends a school in the city.
6. He'll be attending the university in the fall.
7. I am the first child in my family to attend college.
8. We attend the same church.
9. Each nurse attends 15 patients.
10. A midwife attended the birth.

Origin of ATTEND

Middle English, from Anglo-French atendre, from Latin attendere, literally, to stretch to, from ad- + tendere to stretch — more at thin

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to ATTEND

Synonyms: accompany, chaperone (or chaperon), companion, company, convoy, escort, see, squire

Antonyms: ignore, tune out

Related Words: walk; associate, consort, pal (around), team (up); defend, guard, protect; bring, conduct, guide, lead, pilot, steer, usher; follow, shadow, tag, tag along, tail; hang (around), hover (over)

Near Antonyms: abandon, desert, ditch, dump, forsake

see all synonyms and antonyms

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Rhymes with ATTEND

addend, amend, append, ascend, bartend, befriend, Big Bend, bookend, boyfriend, closed-end, commend, compend, contend, dead end, dead-end, defend, depend, descend, distend, downtrend, emend, expend, extend, fag end, forfend, front-end, girlfriend, Gravesend, headend, high-end, hornblende, impend, intend, Land's End, loose end, low-end, missend, misspend, next friend, no end, offend, on end, Ostend, outspend, perpend, pitchblende, portend, pretend, propend, protend, rear-end, resend, sheet bend, South Bend, split end, stipend, subtend, suspend, tag end, tail end, tight end, top-end, transcend, unbend, unkenned, upend, uptrend, weekend, year-end