attend

[ uh-tend ]

See synonyms for: attend attended attending on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object)

to be present at: to attend a lecture; to attend church.
to go with as a concomitant or result; accompany: Fever may attend a cold. Success attended her hard work.

to take care of; minister to; devote one's services to: The nurse attended the patient daily.
to wait upon; accompany as a companion or servant: The retainers attended their lord.
to take charge of; watch over; look after; tend; guard: to attend one's health.
to listen to; give heed to.
Archaic. to wait for; expect.

verb (used without object)

to take care or charge: to attend to a sick person.
to apply oneself: to attend to one's work.

to pay attention; listen or watch attentively; direct one's thought; pay heed: to attend to a speaker.
to be present: She is a member but does not attend regularly.
to be present and ready to give service; wait (usually followed by on or upon): to attend upon the Queen.
to follow; be consequent (usually followed by on or upon).
Obsolete. to wait.

Origin of attend

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”; cf. tend¹

synonym study For attend

4. See accompany.

Other words from attend

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

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use attend in a sentence

The Steelers are allowing a little more than 5,000 fans to attend their home games.
Pennsylvania says all athletes must wear masks while playing. The Steelers say they’re exempt. | Matt Bonesteel | November 20, 2020 | Washington Post
She struck a bargain with her parents that she would endure a debutante season of balls and be presented to the queen if they would allow her to attend university.
‘The Woman Who Stole Vermeer’ revisits the strange tale of a British heiress who became a notorious art thief | Katharine Weber | November 20, 2020 | Washington Post
So reports of cases among students and staff should not, in themselves, lead us to believe that attending school is a source of spread.
Schools are not spreading covid-19. This new data explains why. | Emily Oster | November 20, 2020 | Washington Post
In Northern Virginia, more people are attending social gatherings while not wearing masks.
Virginia’s coronavirus numbers are rising. Here’s what you need to know. | Antonio Olivo | November 20, 2020 | Washington Post
Among people who contracted the virus in the first half of October — when the rise in cases in the District was beginning — nearly one in four had attended a social gathering of at least five people, and one in five had eaten in a restaurant.
D.C.’s coronavirus numbers are rising. Here’s what you need to know. | Julie Zauzmer | November 20, 2020 | Washington Post

Smith attended both funerals as a cop and as the husband of Police Officer Moira Smith, who died on 9/11.
The Muslim Cop Killed by Terrorists | Michael Daly | January 9, 2015 | THE DAILY BEAST
But how different would things have been 11 years later, when Scalise attended the Duke event?
Steve Scalise and the Right’s Ridiculous Racial Blame Game | Michael Tomasky | January 2, 2015 | THE DAILY BEAST
The event saw well over 100,000 attendees last year making it one of the best-attended pride events in the country.
The Ultimate LGBT Travel Bucket List | | December 12, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
Correction: An earlier version of this article said John Lewis attended the event, not Elijah Cummings.
Capitol Hill's Black Staffers Walk Out to Say ‘Hands Up, Don't Shoot!’ | Tim Mak | December 11, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
I ask Alexander Gilkes, referring to Prince William and Kate Middleton, whose wedding he attended.
William, Kate, and Jay Z’s Favorite Art Star: Alexander Gilkes' World of Rock Stars and Royalty | Tim Teeman | December 10, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
Unfortunately for Punch's plans, it was decided that he should be sent to a day-school which Harry attended.
Kipling Stories and Poems Every Child Should Know, Book II | Rudyard Kipling
Batterby, in gaudy raiment, went to an office in Manchester; in gaudier raiment he often attended race meetings.
The Joyous Adventures of Aristide Pujol | William J. Locke
So he laid the letter aside until he had attended to all other business, and later opened and read it.
The Homesteader | Oscar Micheaux
Bobby attended this institution of learning with his particular chum and the boys had no end of good times.
Squinty the Comical Pig | Richard Barnum
Clearly his business abilities were great; his reforms were bold and drastic, and success attended his efforts.
Fifty Years of Railway Life in England, Scotland and Ireland | Joseph Tatlow

British Dictionary definitions for attend

attend

/ (əˈtɛnd) /

verb

to be present at (an event, meeting, etc)
(when intr, foll by to) to give care; minister

(when intr, foll by to) to pay attention; listen
(tr; often passive) to accompany or follow: a high temperature attended by a severe cough
(intr; foll by on or upon) to follow as a consequence (of)
(intr foll by to) to devote one's time; apply oneself: to attend to the garden
(tr) to escort or accompany
(intr; foll by on or upon) to wait (on); serve; provide for the needs (of): to attend on a guest
(tr) archaic to wait for; expect
(intr) obsolete to delay

Origin of attend

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

Derived forms of attend

attender, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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