tent

plural tents

1. A pavilion or portable lodge consisting of skins, canvas, or some strong cloth, stretched and sustained by poles, used for sheltering people from the weather.

   We were camping in a three-man tent.

   1 more example

   We bought a new tent that can be put up in five seconds, but it took about twenty minutes to take it down and pack it away.

2. archaicThe representation of a tent used as a bearing.
3. ScotlandA portable pulpit set up outside to accommodate worshippers who cannot fit into a church.

   A splendid tent was erected on the brae north of the town, and round that the countless congregation assembled.

   1824, James Hogg, The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner

4. A trouser tent; a piece of fabric, etc. protruding outward like a tent.

   […] feeling his erection making a tent in his pants.

   2013, Nathan Lapointe, A Strange New World

present singular third person tents · participle present tenting · participle past tented · past tented

1. intransitiveTo go camping.

   We’ll be tenting at the campground this weekend.

2. cookingTo prop up aluminum foil in an inverted "V" (reminiscent of a pop-up tent) over food to reduce splatter, before putting it in the oven.
3. intransitiveTo form into a tent-like shape.

   The sheet tented over his midsection.

4. Synonym of fumigate.

   Synonyms: fumigate

present singular third person tents · participle present tenting · participle past tented · past tented

1. ScotlandUKarchaicdialectalTo attend to; to heed.

   14th century, anonymous, The Romance of Syr Tryamoure He let hur have wemen at wylle, To tent hur, and that was skylle, And brought hur to bede

2. ScotlandUKarchaicdialectalTo guard; to hinder.

   The poor lass was sitting bemoaning herself - "Were it nae for thy girning face, I would knock the big, winnow the corn, and grun the meal," - "Lowse the cradle-band," said the child, "and tent the neighbours, and I'll work yere work."

   1828, Thomas Keightley, The Fairy Mythology, volume II, London: William Harrison Ainsworth, page 167

plural tents

1. ScotlandUKarchaicdialectalAttention; regard, care.

   Lo ! lo ! my frend , take tent to this womman

   a. 1451, John Lydgate, The Prohemy of a Marriage betwixt and Olde Man and a Yonge Wife, and the Counsail &c.

2. archaicIntention; design.

   A-pon þe feild his fader went And soght abel wit al his tent

   a. 1300, anonymous author, Cursor Mundi

plural tents

1. medicineA roll of lint or linen, or a conical or cylindrical piece of sponge or other absorbent, used chiefly to dilate a natural canal, to keep open the orifice of a wound, or to absorb discharges.
2. medicineA probe for searching a wound.

present singular third person tents · participle present tenting · participle past tented · past tented

1. figurativelysometimesmedicineTo probe or to search with a tent; to keep open with a tent.

   to tent a wound

   1 more example

   I'll tent him to the quick.

   c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene ii]

plural tents

1. archaicA kind of red wine of a deep red color, chiefly from Galicia or Malaga in Spain.

   Synonyms: tent wine, tinta