tend

B1 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /ˈtɛnd/ See IPA manual

Minimal pairs

Sounds like tanned /ɛ/ vs /æ/

Freq #3783

Meanings

1

verb
To usually do something or be likely to behave in a certain way.

They tend to go out for dinner on Saturdays.
2

verb
To take care of someone or something.

She spent the morning tending to her garden.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

2 verb · to take care of someone or... care forlook after nurse

Word family

Forms tendedtends

Derived forms bartendtendency

Related forms intend tense tension tent

Appears in

Proverbs (2)

See all

Etymology

From Middle English tenden, from Old English tendan (“to kindle, set on fire”) (usually in compounds ātendan, fortendan, ontendan), from Proto-Germanic *tandijaną (“to kindle”), of unknown origin. Cognate with Danish tænde (“to kindle”), Swedish tända (“to ignite”), Gothic 𐍄𐌰𐌽𐌳𐌾𐌰𐌽 (tandjan, “to kindle”), Icelandic tendra (“to ignite”), German zünden (“to light, ignite, fire”). Related to tinder.

*den- Proto-Indo-European tenden Middle English tendan Old English *tandijaną Proto-Germanic

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# tend

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B1
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /ˈtɛnd/
**Frequency rank:** 3783

## Meanings
1. To usually do something or be likely to behave in a certain way.
2. To take care of someone or something.

## Examples
- They tend to go out for dinner on Saturdays.
- She spent the morning tending to her garden.

## Derived Forms
- bartend
- tendency

## Related Forms
- intend
- tense
- tension
- tent

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *den-
- Root: tenden
- Root: tendan
- Root: *tandijaną

## Etymology
From Middle English tenden, from Old English tendan (“to kindle, set on fire”) (usually in compounds ātendan, fortendan, ontendan), from Proto-Germanic *tandijaną (“to kindle”), of unknown origin. Cognate with Danish tænde (“to kindle”), Swedish tända (“to ignite”), Gothic 𐍄𐌰𐌽𐌳𐌾𐌰𐌽 (tandjan, “to kindle”), Icelandic tendra (“to ignite”), German zünden (“to light, ignite, fire”). Related to tinder.

## AI Etymology
Tend is from Middle English tenden, from Old English tendan (“to kindle, set on fire”) (usually in compounds ātendan, fortendan, ontendan), from Proto-Germanic *tandijaną (“to kindle”), of unknown origin. Cognate with Danish tænde (“to kindle”), Swedish tända (“to ignite”), Gothic 𐍄𐌰𐌽𐌳𐌾𐌰𐌽 (tandjan, “to kindle”), Icelandic tendra (“to ignite”), German zünden (“to light, ignite, fire”). Related to tinder. In present-day use, it can mean to usually do something or be likely to behave in a certain way, or to take care of someone or something.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

markdown