tend

1 of 2

verb (1)

tended; tending; tends

intransitive verb

1
: to exhibit an inclination or tendency : conduce
tends to be optimistic
2
: to move, direct, or develop one's course in a particular direction
cannot tell where society is tending

tend

2 of 2

verb (2)

tended; tending; tends

intransitive verb

1
: to pay attention : apply oneself
tend to your own affairs
tend to our correspondence
2
: to act as an attendant : serve
tended to his wife
3
archaic : listen
4
obsolete : await

transitive verb

1
a
: to apply oneself to the care of : watch over
tended her sick father
b
: to have or take charge of as a caretaker or overseer
tend the sheep
d
: to manage the operations of : mind
tend the store
tend the fire
2
: to stand by (something, such as a rope) in readiness to prevent mischance (such as fouling)
3
archaic : to attend as a servant

Examples of tend in a Sentence

Verb (1) her wardrobe tends toward dark colors and heavy fabrics Verb (2) tend the store while I run an errand lately I haven't been doing a good job of tending my garden plots that during the war were tended by city dwellers as vegetable gardens the dying patriarch wondered who would tend the family business after he was gone
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
Vote certification then tends to drag on as California allows for ballot curing up until Dec. 1, meaning election officials can reach out to voters who made mistakes on their ballots such as forgetting a signature or using an incorrect envelope. Cami Mondeaux, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 27 Nov. 2024 Many grocery stores, retail stores, restaurant chains and even pharmacies tend to close or adopt limited hours in honor of Thanksgiving. Amaris Encinas, USA TODAY, 27 Nov. 2024 Be Prepared for the Long Game Global real estate investing, like all forms of real estate investing, tends to require patience, due diligence, and a long-term perspective. James Nelson, Forbes, 27 Nov. 2024 According to the report, most educators tend to base their lesson plans on nonpartisan sources like the Library of Congress and other federal museums, archives and institutions. Meilan Solly, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for tend 

Word History

Etymology

Verb (1)

Middle English tenden "to stretch, spread, direct oneself (to), incline toward," borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French tendre "to stretch, hold out, offer, direct (one's course), go, aim (at)," going back to Latin tendere "to extend outward, stretch, spread out, direct (one's course), aim (at a purpose)" (Medieval Latin, "to lead toward, move in a particular direction") — more at tender entry 3

Verb (2)

Middle English tenden, shortened from attenden "to attend" or entenden, intenden "to intend"

First Known Use

Verb (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Verb (2)

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 3

Time Traveler
The first known use of tend was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near tend

Cite this Entry

“Tend.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tend. Accessed 6 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

tend

1 of 2 verb
1
: to pay attention
tend to business
2
a
: to take care of
b
: to help the growth or development of
tend the garden
3
: to have responsibility for as caretaker
tended sheep
4
: to manage the operation of or do the necessary work connected with
tend the fire

tend

2 of 2 verb
1
: to move or turn in a certain direction
the road tends to the right
2
: to be likely
a person who tends to slouch

More from Merriam-Webster on tend

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