attend
Formsattends, attending, attended
- 1To go to an event or place and be there, or to go there regularly, like school or church.
Like showing up for school every day.
Hundreds of fans attend the concert each summer.
She attended every lecture in the series.
UsageDo not add to: attend a class (not
incorrect: attend to a class). - 2To listen or pay attention to something carefully.
Like turning your ears toward someone so you don't miss a word.
Please attend to the instructions before you start the test.
He never attends to what others are saying.
UsageSay attend to something. In everyday talk people usually say pay attention to.
Note
- 3To deal with something or someone that needs your help or action.
Like fixing each problem on your list one by one.
I need to attend to a few emails before lunch.
He attended to the broken fence before the storm came.
- 4To take care of someone, for example as a doctor or nurse does for a sick person.
Like a parent watching over a sick child all night.
Two nurses attend the patient around the clock.
The doctor who attended her was very kind.
UsageYou can say a nurse attends a patient or attends to a patient.
Oppositeneglect
Note
- 5To serve someone, wait for their orders, or go with them to help.
Like a helper who stays close to help at any moment.
Several servants attend the queen at every meal.
Two pages attended the young prince on his travels.
UsageYou can also say attend on someone: servants attended on the queen.
Note
Less common meanings
- 6To come together with something, or to happen because of it.
Like a shadow that follows you wherever you go.
Great risks attend any deep-sea dive.
The fame that attended her success changed her life.
UsageOften said as attended by: a trip attended by danger.
Note
- 7
- 8To listen closely.
Avvay, I do condemne mine eares, that haue / So long attended thee.
1611, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Cymbeline”Here, attended means listened to closely.But Goddess! thou, thy ſuppliant Son attend, / To high Olympus’ ſhining Court aſcend, / Urge all the Ties to former Service ovv'd, / And ſue for Vengeance to the Thund'ring God.
1720, Homer, The Iliad of HomerNote
- 9To wait for someone or something to come or happen.
Ægyptian ingenuity vvas more unſatisfied, contriving their bodies in ſvveet conſiſtences, to attend the return of their ſouls. But all vvas vanity, feeding the vvinde, and folly.
1658, Thomas Browne, “Hydriotaphia, Urne-buriall.. Chapter V.”Here, attend means wait for.Note
- 10Of a thing, to be waiting for someone in the future.
Note
- 11To stay in one place and wait there.
The lady attended as if ſhe expected I ſhould go on.
1768, Mr. Yorick [pseudonym; Laurence Sterne], “The Remise. Calais.”Here, attended means stayed and waited.Note
- 12To expect something or to look forward, used with 'for'.
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- 13To plan something or mean to do it.
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Practice
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Origin
From Latin attendere "to pay attention to," made of ad- "to, towards" and tendere "to stretch." It came into English through Old French.
Checked 7 Nov 2026 · 6 facts
- Attend ultimately derives from Latin attendere through Old French. en.wiktionary.org
- Latin attendere means to pay attention to. en.wiktionary.org
- The Latin verb combines ad- and tendere. en.wiktionary.org
- Latin ad- means to or towards. en.wiktionary.org
- Latin tendere means to stretch. en.wiktionary.org
- The word entered English through Old French. en.wiktionary.org