attend

[ uh-tend ]

verb (used with object)

1. to be present at:

   to attend a lecture; to attend church.

2. to go with as a concomitant or result; accompany:

   Fever may attend a cold. Success attended her hard work.

3. to take care of; minister to; devote one's services to:

   The nurse attended the patient daily.

4. to wait upon; accompany as a companion or servant:

   The retainers attended their lord.

5. to take charge of; watch over; look after; tend; guard:

   to attend one's health.

6. to listen to; give heed to.
7. Archaic. to wait for; expect.

verb (used without object)

1. to take care or charge:

   to attend to a sick person.

2. to apply oneself:

   to attend to one's work.

3. to pay attention; listen or watch attentively; direct one's thought; pay heed:

   to attend to a speaker.

4. to be present:

   She is a member but does not attend regularly.

5. to be present and ready to give service; wait (usually followed by on or upon ):

   to attend upon the Queen.

6. to follow; be consequent (usually followed by on or upon ).
7. Obsolete. to wait.

attend

/ əˈtɛnd /

verb

1. to be present at (an event, meeting, etc)
2. whenintr, foll by to to give care; minister
3. whenintr, foll by to to pay attention; listen
4. tr; often passive to accompany or follow

   a high temperature attended by a severe cough

5. intr; foll by on or upon to follow as a consequence (of)
6. intrfoll byto to devote one's time; apply oneself

   to attend to the garden

7. tr to escort or accompany
8. intr; foll by on or upon to wait (on); serve; provide for the needs (of)

   to attend on a guest

9. archaic.
   tr to wait for; expect
10. obsolete.
    intr to delay

Derived Forms

• atˈtender, noun

Other Words From

• at·tender noun
• at·tending·ly adverb
• well-at·tended adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of attend¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English atenden, from Anglo-French, Old French atendre, from Latin attendere “to bend to, notice,” from at- at- + tendere “to stretch, extend, proceed”; tend ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of attend¹

C13: from Old French atendre, from Latin attendere to stretch towards, from tendere to extend

Synonym Study

See accompany.

Example Sentences

She had previously served on the Bell Gardens City Council until 2019, when a Los Angeles Superior Court judge found she had violated her duties by neglecting to attend meetings for at least 60 consecutive days on two occasions without a valid reason.

From Los Angeles Times

Gray said all the engagements were “official ministerial business”, and that he had not planned to attend only Aberdeen club matches.

From BBC

Health Secretary Neil Gray has said he is sorry he did not go to a "wider range" of football matches after using ministerial cars to attend four Aberdeen games.

From BBC

Tickets for the Glastonbury Festival go on sale this week, with millions of fans expected to fight it out for a chance to attend the event, which will run from 25-29 June 2025.

From BBC

“All kids, regardless of what their needs are, get the same access to teachers, social time in the classroom and get support for whatever they need,” he says, noting that his children attend an inclusion school.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• follow
• hear
• note
• observe
• watch