transitive verb

1. to take care of; minister to; watch over; look after; attend to to tend plants or animals, to tend the sick
2. to be in charge of or at work at; manage or operate to tend a store
3. Naut. to be on the alert to keep (a rope, diver's air line, etc.) from fouling

Etymology: ME tenden, aphetic < attenden: see attend

intransitive verb

intransitive verb

1. to be directed; proceed or extend the road tends south
2. to have an inclination, tendency, bias, etc. to do something; incline tending to overeat
3. to lead or be directed (to or toward a specified result)

Etymology: ME tenden < OFr tendre < L tendere, to stretch, extend, tend: see thin