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View synonyms for tend

tend

1

[ tend ]

verb (used without object)

  1. 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 followed by to, toward, etc.):

    a path tending toward the beach.



tend

2

[ tend ]

verb (used with object)

  1. to attend to by work or services, care, etc.:

    to tend a fire.

  2. to look after; watch over and care for; minister to or wait on with service:

    to tend the sick.

  3. Nautical. to handle or attend to (a rope).

verb (used without object)

  1. to attend by action, care, etc. (usually followed by to ).

verb phrase

  1. Archaic. to attend or wait upon; minister to; serve:

    She tended on the sick and dying with infinite compassion.

tend

1

/ tɛnd /

verb

  1. tr to care for

    to tend wounded soldiers

  2. whenintr, often foll by to to attend (to)

    to tend to someone's needs

  3. tr to handle or control

    to tend a fire

  4. informal.
    introften foll byto to pay attention


tend

2

/ tɛnd /

verb

  1. when tr, takes an infinitive to have a general disposition (to do something); be inclined

    children tend to prefer sweets to meat

  2. intr to have or be an influence (towards a specific result); be conducive

    the party atmosphere tends to hilarity

  3. intr to go or move (in a particular direction)

    to tend to the south

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Word History and Origins

Origin of tend1

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English tenden, from Middle French tendre, from Latin tendere “to stretch, extend, proceed”

Origin of tend2

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English tenden, shortening of attend

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Word History and Origins

Origin of tend1

C14: variant of attend

Origin of tend2

C14: from Old French tendre, from Latin tendere to stretch

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Example Sentences

FanGraphs analyst Jeff Zimmerman found pitchers who maintain their velocity tend to maintain their performance.

Such businesses, according to the Federal Reserve’s Small Business Credit Survey, tend to be minority-owned.

From Fortune

“Historically, corrections in the put-call ratio have tended to have sharp but short-lived market impacts,” the strategists wrote.

From Fortune

As tends to happen when demand skyrockets but supply doesn't, prices on a wide range of items went up.

Most advertisers tend to be wowed by Amazon’s ability to drive direct response.

From Digiday

There are reasons that European countries tend to avoid fluoride.

Tend to your own garden, to quote the great sage of free speech, Voltaire, and invite people to follow your example.

The media tend to frame situations like this as aberrations, but in this case, quite the opposite is the truth.

They excite people, and primaries tend to be dominated by voters who are the most excited.

We tend to think not, but the rise of King, Kennedy, and Lincoln was unlikely, too.

This relation carefully noticed will tend to hold the lines together.

My own opportunities have been very limited, yet so far as they go they tend to maintain the justice of this remark.

She did not yet know how necessary climbing might be, in her new country life, but her aspirations did not tend that way.

Shooting guerrillas after they were caught and burning houses did not tend to make those left less cruel.

Such a course would tend only to bloody and interminable anarchy.

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Ten Commandmentstendance