tent

1
[ tent ]
See synonyms for: tenttentedtenting on Thesaurus.com

noun
  1. a portable shelter of skins, canvas, plastic, or the like, supported by one or more poles or a frame and often secured by ropes fastened to pegs in the ground.

  2. something that resembles a tent.

verb (used with object)
  1. to lodge in tents.

  2. to cover with or as if with a tent: In winter the tennis courts are tented in plastic.

verb (used without object)
  1. to live in a tent; encamp.

Origin of tent

1
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English tente, from Old French, from Latin tenta, feminine of tentus, past participle of tendere “to extend, stretch”

Other words from tent

  • tentless, adjective
  • tentlike, adjective

Words Nearby tent

Other definitions for tent (2 of 3)

tent2
[ tent ]

noun
  1. a roll or pledget, usually of soft absorbent material, as lint or gauze, for dilating an orifice, keeping a wound open, etc.

  2. a probe.

verb (used with object)
  1. to keep (a wound) open with a tent.

Origin of tent

2
First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English tent(e), teint(e) “a probe,” from Middle French tente “a probe, roll of lint,” noun derivative of tenter, from Latin tentāre, variant of temptāre tempt

Other definitions for tent (3 of 3)

tent3
[ tent ]

verb (used with object)Chiefly Scot.
  1. to give or pay attention to; heed.

Origin of tent

3
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English, tente(n), “to plan, intend, look after,” derivative of tent(e) “attention,” shortening of attent, past participle of attenden “to pay attention to, heed,” from Old French atente “attention, intention,” from Latin attenta, feminine of attentus, past participle of attendere to attend

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use tent in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for tent (1 of 4)

tent1

/ (tɛnt) /


noun
    • a portable shelter of canvas, plastic, or other waterproof material supported on poles and fastened to the ground by pegs and ropes

    • (as modifier): tent peg

  1. something resembling this in function or shape

verb
  1. (intr) to camp in a tent

  2. (tr) to cover with or as if with a tent or tents

  1. (tr) to provide with a tent as shelter

Origin of tent

1
C13: from Old French tente, from Latin tentōrium something stretched out, from tendere to stretch

Derived forms of tent

  • tented, adjective
  • tentless, adjective
  • tentlike, adjective

British Dictionary definitions for tent (2 of 4)

tent2

/ (tɛnt) med /


noun
  1. a plug of soft material for insertion into a bodily canal, etc, to dilate it or maintain its patency

verb
  1. (tr) to insert such a plug into (a bodily canal, etc)

Origin of tent

2
C14 (in the sense: a probe): from Old French tente (noun), ultimately from Latin temptāre to try; see tempt

British Dictionary definitions for tent (3 of 4)

tent3

/ (tɛnt) /


noun
  1. obsolete a red table wine from Alicante, Spain

Origin of tent

3
C16: from Spanish tinto dark-coloured; see tint

British Dictionary definitions for tent (4 of 4)

tent4

/ (tɛnt) Scot /


noun
  1. heed; attention

verb(tr)
  1. to pay attention to; take notice of

  2. to attend to

Origin of tent

4
C14: from attent attend and intent

Derived forms of tent

  • tenter, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012