to be disposed or inclined in action, operation, or effect to do something: The particles tend to unite.
2.
to be disposed toward an idea, emotion, way of thinking, etc.: He tends to be overly optimistic. Her religious philosophy tends toward pantheism.
3.
to lead or conduce, as to some result or resulting condition: measures tending to improved working conditions; Governments are tending toward democracy.
4.
to be inclined to or have a tendency toward a particular quality, state, or degree: This wine tends toward the sweet side.
5.
(of a journey, course, road, etc.) to lead or be directed in a particular direction (usually fol. by to, toward, etc.): a path tending toward the beach.
[Origin: 1300–50; ME tenden < MF tendre < L tendere to stretch, extend, proceed]
To have the care of; watch over; look after: tend a child.
To manage the activities and transactions of; run: tend bar; tend a store in the owner's absence.
v.
intr.
To be an attendant or servant.
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: These verbs mean to have the care or supervision of: tended her plants; attends the sick; minded the unreliable furnace; ministered to flood victims; watched the house while the owners were away.
"to incline, to move in a certain direction," c.1350, from O.Fr. tendre "stretch, hold forth, offer" (11c.), from L. tendere "to aim, stretch, extend" (see tenet).
have a tendency or disposition to do or be something; be inclined; "She tends to be nervous before her lectures"; "These dresses run small"; "He inclined to corpulence"
2.
have care of or look after; "She tends to the children"
At*tend"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Attended; p. pr. & vb. n. Attending.] [OE. atenden, OF. atendre, F. attendre, to expect, to wait, fr. L. attendre to stretch, (sc. animum), to apply the mind to; ad + tendere to stretch. See Tend.]1. To direct the attention to; to fix the mind upon; to give heed to; to regard. [Obs.] The diligent pilot in a dangerous tempest doth not attend the unskillful words of the passenger. --Sir P. Sidney. 2. To care for; to look after; to take charge of; to watch over. 3. To go or stay with, as a companion, nurse, or servant; to visit professionally, as a physician; to accompany or follow in order to do service; to escort; to wait on; to serve. The fifth had charge sick persons to attend. --Spenser. Attends the emperor in his royal court. --Shak. With a sore heart and a gloomy brow, he prepared to attend William thither. --Macaulay. 4. To be present with; to accompany; to be united or consequent to; as, a measure attended with ill effects. What cares must then attend the toiling swain. --Dryden. 5. To be present at; as, to attend church, school, a concert, a business meeting. 6. To wait for; to await; to remain, abide, or be in store for. [Obs.] The state that attends all men after this. --Locke. Three days I promised to attend my doom. --Dryden. Syn: To Attend, Mind, Regard, Heed, Notice. Usage: Attend is generic, the rest are specific terms. To mind is to attend so that it may not be forgotten; to regard is to look on a thing as of importance; to heed is to attend to a thing from a principle of caution; to notice is to think on that which strikes the senses. --Crabb. See Accompany.
Con*tend"\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Contended; p. pr. & vb. n. Contending.] [OF. contendre, L. contendere, -tentum; con- + tendere to strech. See Tend.]1. To strive in opposition; to contest; to dispute; to vie; to quarrel; to fight. For never two such kingdoms did contend Without much fall of blood. --Shak. The Lord said unto me, Distress not the Moabites, neither contend with them in battle. --Deut. ii. 9. In ambitious strength I did Contend against thy valor. --Shak. 2. To struggle or exert one's self to obtain or retain possession of, or to defend. You sit above, and see vain men below Contend for what you only can bestow. --Dryden. 3. To strive in debate; to engage in discussion; to dispute; to argue. The question which our author would contend for. --Locke. Many things he fiercely contended about were trivial. --Dr. H. More. Syn: To struggle; fight; combat; vie; strive; oppose; emulate; contest; litigate; dispute; debate.
Dis*tend"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Distended; p. pr. & vb. n. Distending.] [L. distendere, distentum, distensum; dis- + tendere to stretch, stretch out: cf. F. distendre to distend, d['e]tendre to unbend. See Tend, and cf. Detent.]1. To extend in some one direction; to lengthen out; to stretch. [R.] But say, what mean those colored streaks in heaven Distended as the brow of God appeased? --Milton. 2. To stretch out or extend in all directions; to dilate; to enlarge, as by elasticity of parts; to inflate so as to produce tension; to cause to swell; as, to distend a bladder, the stomach, etc. The warmth distends the chinks. --Dryden. Syn: To dilate; expand; enlarge; swell; inflate.
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