At*tend" (&?;), v. t. [imp. & p.
p. Attended; p. pr. & vb. n.
Attending.] [OE. atenden, OF. atendre, F.
attendre, to expect, to wait, fr. L. attendre to stretch,
(sc. animum), to apply the mind to; ad + tendere to
stretch. See Tend.] 1. To direct the attention
to; to fix the mind upon; to give heed to; to regard. [Obs.]
The diligent pilot in a dangerous tempest doth not
attend the unskillful words of the passenger.
Sir P. Sidney.
2. To care for; to look after; to take charge of;
to watch over.
3. To go or stay with, as a companion, nurse, or
servant; to visit professionally, as a physician; to accompany or follow in
order to do service; to escort; to wait on; to serve.
The fifth had charge sick persons to attend.
Spenser.
Attends the emperor in his royal court.
Shak.
With a sore heart and a gloomy brow, he prepared to
attend William thither.
Macaulay.
4. To be present with; to accompany; to be united
or consequent to; as, a measure attended with ill effects.
What cares must then attend the toiling swain.
Dryden.
5. To be present at; as, to attend church,
school, a concert, a business meeting.
6. To wait for; to await; to remain, abide, or be
in store for. [Obs.]
The state that attends all men after this.
Locke.
Three days I promised to attend my doom.
Dryden.
Syn. -- To Attend, Mind, Regard,
Heed, Notice. Attend is generic, the rest are
specific terms. To mind is to attend so that it may not be
forgotten; to regard is to look on a thing as of importance; to
heed is to attend to a thing from a principle of caution; to
notice is to think on that which strikes the senses. Crabb.
See Accompany.
At*tend" (&?;), v. i. 1.
To apply the mind, or pay attention, with a view to perceive,
understand, or comply; to pay regard; to heed; to listen; -- usually
followed by to.
Attend to the voice of my supplications.
Ps. lxxxvi. 6.
Man can not at the same time attend to two
objects.
Jer. Taylor.
2. To accompany or be present or near at hand, in
pursuance of duty; to be ready for service; to wait or be in waiting; --
often followed by on or upon.
He was required to attend upon the committee.
Clarendon.
3. (with to) To take charge of; to look
after; as, to attend to a matter of business.
4. To wait; to stay; to delay. [Obs.]
For this perfection she must yet attend,
Till to her Maker she espoused be.
Sir J. Davies.
Syn. -- To Attend, Listen, Hearken. We
attend with a view to hear and learn; we listen with fixed
attention, in order to hear correctly, or to consider what has been said;
we hearken when we listen with a willing mind, and in reference to
obeying.
