tend

tend · verb¹

1. Latin · derived fromtendere“to stretch, stretch out, extend, spread out”
2. Old French · derived fromtendre“to stretch, stretch out, hold forth, offer, tender”
3. Middle French · derived fromtendre
4. Middle English · inherited fromtenden
5. English todaytend

From Middle English tenden, from Middle French tendre, from Old French tendre (“to stretch, stretch out, hold forth, offer, tender”), from Latin tendere (“to stretch, stretch out, extend, spread out”).

tend · verb²

1. Middle English · inherited fromtenden“to pay attention to”
2. English todaytend

From Middle English tenden (“to pay attention to”), by apheresis of attenden (“to attend”) or entenden (“to intend”). More at attend and intend.

tend · verb³

1. Proto-Germanic · inherited from*tandijaną“to kindle”
2. Old English · inherited fromtendan“to kindle, set on fire”
3. Middle English · inherited fromtenden
4. English todaytend

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.

Words from the same roots

First known use, by meaning

• from mid-14th c. To be likely, or probable to do something, or to have a certain habit or leaning.
• from early 14th c. To look after (e.g. an ill person.)