tent

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   A shelter made of cloth stretched over poles, used for camping outdoors.

   We put up our tent near the river before it got dark.

2. 2
   verb

   To camp in a tent.

   We'll be tenting at the campsite this weekend.

From Middle English tente, borrowed from Old French tente, from Vulgar Latin *tenta (“tent”), from the feminine of Latin tentus, ptp. of tendere (“to stretch, extend”), or contracted from *tendita as an alternate past participle. Displaced native Middle English tild, tilt (“tent, tilt”), from Old English teld (“tent”). Compare Spanish tienda (“store, shop; tent”).

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