Word forms: 3rd person singular presenttense attends, present participle attending, past tense, past participle attended
1. verb
If you attend a meeting or other event, you are present at it.
Thousands of people attended the funeral. [VERB noun]
The meeting will be attended by finance ministers from many countries. [beVERB-ed + by]
We want the maximum number of people to attend to help us cover our costs. [VERB]
Synonyms: be present, go to, visit, be at More Synonyms of attend
2. verb
If you attend an institution such as a school, college, or church, you go there regularly.
They attended college together at the University of Pennsylvania. [VERB noun]
[Also VERB]
3. verb
If you attendto something, you deal with it. If you attendto someone who is hurt or injured, you care for them.
The staff will helpfully attend to your needs. [VERB + to]
There are more pressing matters to be attended to today. [VERBto noun]
The main thing is to attend to the injured. [VERB + to]
More Synonyms of attend
attend in British English
(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. (intransitive; foll byto)
to devote one's time; apply oneself
to attend to the garden
7. (transitive)
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. (transitive) archaic
to wait for; expect
10. (intransitive) obsolete
to delay
Derived forms
attender (atˈtender)
noun
Word origin
C13: from Old French atendre, from Latin attendere to stretch towards, from tendere to extend
attend in American English
(əˈtɛnd)
verb transitive
1. Rare
to take care or charge of; look after
2.
a.
to wait on; minister to; serve
b.
to serve as doctor to during an illness
3.
to accompany; go with
4.
to accompany as a circumstance or result
success attended his efforts
5.
to be present at
to attend a concert
6. Archaic
to await
7. Archaic
to pay attention to
verb intransitive
8.
to pay attention; give heed
9.
to be in readiness; wait
with on or upon
10.
to devote or apply oneself (to)
11.
to give the required care or attention (to)
12. Obsolete
to wait or delay
SIMILAR WORDS: acˈcompany
Word origin
ME attenden < OFr atendre, to wait, expect < L attendere, to stretch toward, give heed to < ad-, to + tendere, stretch: see thin
Examples of 'attend' in a sentence
attend
She will then attend a church service.
The Sun (2016)
The sale of wheeled suitcases should be restricted to people who have attended an approved safety course.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
In a final blow she received a text message saying that she could no longer attend cabinet meetings.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
It is thought she is keen to attend church today if she feels well enough and weather permitting.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
Tragically poorly attended meetings, in point of fact.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Nearly 600 people attended a local meeting to protest.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Last week the government published statistics suggesting that pupils attending the colleges performed less well than expected at GCSEs.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
When he reached college he attended their games with fake tickets.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
They attend one church as long as it meets their needs better than another.
Christianity Today (2000)
He often attended meetings in tennis shoes.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
He is now hoping to attend college as well as securing his first job.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
People who attend the classes report better social relationships as a result.
The Sun (2014)
It is not enough to make people attend job interviews.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Fewer people attended the parties last year and those who did spent less.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
The hundreds of thousands of young people who attended his funeral already thought he deserved to be regarded as one.
The Sun (2011)
She then ran away from home to attend college in Ohio.
The Times Literary Supplement (2013)
Last night he denied he had stormed out, insisting that he had to attend a meeting instead.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
My son attends that college five days a week, works hard and is very polite and law abiding.
The Sun (2009)
His funeral was attended by the principal officers and men of the naval and military forces and of the Marines.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
In diligently attending council meetings as a civic duty, it should still be a choice whether to attend religious observance.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Many Sunnis had attended the funerals.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
Only complete details for Racecourse 2 if you have paid to attend two race meetings.
The Sun (2013)
In other languages
attend
British English: attend /əˈtɛnd/ VERB
If you attend a meeting or other event, you are at it.
Thousands of people attended the funeral.
We want the maximum number of people to attend to help us cover our costs.
American English: attend
Arabic: يَحْضُرُ
Brazilian Portuguese: comparecer
Chinese: 出席
Croatian: prisustvovati
Czech: zúčastnit se
Danish: deltage i
Dutch: bijwonen
European Spanish: asistir
Finnish: olla läsnä
French: assister
German: beiwohnen
Greek: παρευρίσκομαι
Italian: partecipare
Japanese: 出席する
Korean: 출석하다
Norwegian: delta
Polish: uczestniczyć w (czymś)
European Portuguese: comparecer
Romanian: a participa
Russian: посещать
Latin American Spanish: asistir
Swedish: närvara
Thai: เข้าร่วม
Turkish: katılmak
Ukrainian: відвідувати
Vietnamese: tham dự
All related terms of 'attend'
attend court
A court is a place where legal matters are decided by a judge and jury or by a magistrate .
attend college
A college is an institution where students study after they have left school.
attend appointments
If you have an appointment with someone, you have arranged to see them at a particular time, usually in connection with their work or for a serious purpose.
attend the birth
When a baby is born, you refer to this event as his or her birth .
attend an appointment
If you have an appointment with someone, you have arranged to see them at a particular time, usually in connection with their work or for a serious purpose.
attend an interview
An interview is a formal meeting at which someone is asked questions in order to find out if they are suitable for a job or a course of study.
Chinese translation of 'attend'
attend
(əˈtɛnd)
vt
(= be member of)[school, church, course]上 (shàng)
(= take part in)[lecture, conference]参(參)加 (cānjiā)
1 (verb)
Definition
to be present at (an event)
Thousands of people attended the funeral.
Synonyms
be present
go to
visit
be at
be there
be here
frequent
I hear she frequents that restaurant.
haunt
During the day she haunted the town's cinemas.
appear at
turn up at
patronize
show up at (informal)
show yourself
put in an appearance at
present yourself at
Opposites
miss
,
be absent
,
play truant
2 (verb)
Definition
to pay attention
I'm not sure what he said – I wasn't attending.
Synonyms
pay attention
listen
She spent her time listening to the radio.
follow
Take care to follow the instructions.
hear
mark
Mark my words. He won't last.
mind
You mind what I say now!
watch
The man was standing in the doorway watching him.
note
regard
notice
People should not hesitate to contact the police if they notice anything suspicious.
observe
Forcing motorists to observe speed restrictions is difficult.
look on
heed
Few people at the conference heeded her warning.
take to heart
pay heed
hearken (archaic)
Opposites
ignore
, discount,
neglect
,
disregard
3 (verb)
horse-drawn coaches attended by liveried footmen
Synonyms
escort
I escorted him to the door.
conduct
He asked if he might conduct us to the ball.
guard
shadow
accompany
Ken agreed to accompany me on a trip to Africa.
companion
shepherd
She was shepherded by her guards up the rear ramp of the aircraft.
convoy
He ordered the combined fleet to convoy troops to Naples.
usher
They were quickly ushered away.
squire (old-fashioned)
chaperon
4 (verb)
Definition
to look after
Synonyms
serve
soldiers who have served their country well
work for
wait upon
be in the service of
Phrasal verbs
See attend to someone
See attend to something
idiom
See be attended with something
Additional synonyms
in the sense of accompany
Definition
to go with (someone)
Ken agreed to accompany me on a trip to Africa.
Synonyms
go with,
lead,
partner,
protect,
guide,
attend,
conduct,
escort,
shepherd,
convoy,
usher,
hold (someone's) hand,
chaperon
in the sense of conduct
Definition
to accompany and guide (people or a party)
He asked if he might conduct us to the ball.
Synonyms
accompany,
lead,
escort,
guide,
attend,
steer,
convey,
usher,
pilot
in the sense of convoy
He ordered the combined fleet to convoy troops to Naples.