tend
pronunciation
How to pronounce tend in British English:
UK [tend]
How to pronounce tend in American English:
US [tend]
-
- Verb:
- have a tendency or disposition to do or be something; be inclined
- have care of or look after
- manage or run
Word Origin
- tend
- tend: English has two distinct words tend, but they come from the same ultimate source. Tend ‘look after’ [14] is short for attend, which goes back to Latin compound verb based on tendere ‘stretch’ – source of English tend ‘have an inclination’ [14]. Tendere itself was descended from the Indo-European base *ten- ‘stretch’ (source also of English tenant, tenuous, thin, tone, tune, etc), and its other contributions to English include contend [15], distend [14], extend, intend, portend [15], pretend, and also ostensible, tendency [17], tense, tension, and tent.=> contend, distend, extend, intend, ostensible, portend, pretend, tenant, tense, tent, tenterhooks, tenuous, thin, tone, tune
- tend (v.1)
- "to incline, to move in a certain direction," early 14c., from Old French tendre "stretch out, hold forth, hand over, offer" (11c.), from Latin tendere "to stretch, extend, make tense; aim, direct; direct oneself, hold a course" (see tenet).
- tend (v.2)
- "attend to," c. 1200, a shortening of Middle English atenden (see attend).
Example
- 1. Banks tend to own similar assets .
- 2. Reviewers tend to ignore video-on-demand releases .
- 3. Victims tend to minimize the abuse .
- 4. Their voters tend to be pro-government .
- 5. Small firms tend to stay small .