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to attend

to attend

22 3.2
To listen or watch carefully
  • verb
  • /əˈtɛnd/
translation icon : prestar atención a
  • Experienced teachers may attend more to student progress and may not be as influenced by teacher delivery.
  • attend to important information
  • attend carefully
  • attend closely

Examples

  • I'm attending the LALEXPO.

  • Building on children's intuitive knowledge, teachers can help children attend to the qualities of their artwork.

    Academic text (1993)
  • She'll be happy to attend to you.

  • And I do thank you for allowing me to attend your magistrate's court.

    Fiction book (2000)
  • When taking notes, students generally comprehend better because they are actively attending to the information.

    Academic text (2013)
  • A Peace Corps worker I met said that by attending, we were helping to perpetuate this ritual.

    Academic text (1990)
  • First, the expense of attending community college must not differ much from that of attending a 4-year college.

    Academic text (2011)
  • Local professionals in these sites attended a day-long in-service training on ESP administration procedures.

    Academic text (1995)
  • Students who actively attend to the lecture often perform better on exams.

  • If you want to understand the topic, you need to attend carefully to the details.

Synonyms

to see
vsto attend
1.0

To notice something with your eyes

emphasizes active, careful listening or watching rather than mere visual noticing
to watch
vsto attend
1.0

To look at something carefully for some time

also includes quick attention or listening, not only long visual observation
to listen
vsto attend
1.0

Pay attention to advice or warnings and act on them

is broader, covering careful attention by sight or sound
to hear
vsto attend
1.0

Listen to someone carefully to consider what they say

requires active careful attention to sounds or sights rather than passive perception
to pay attention
vsto attend
1.6

To focus on someone or something and notice carefully

also includes taking warnings or advice seriously
to consider
vsto attend
670 2.4

To look at someone or something carefully to understand it

is broader, meaning attention or heed rather than analytic examination
to witness
vsto attend
653 3.0

To see or be present at an event as it happens

is general careful attention, not necessarily being present at events
to observe
vsto attend
619 2.4

To watch something carefully to learn about it

is general attention, not only focused learning or discovery
to attend to
vsto attend
151 3.6

To take care of someone or something

focuses on paying attention or heeding rather than providing care
to take notice
vsto attend
42 3.5

To see and pay attention to something

is broader, often meaning deliberate sustained focus rather than brief awareness
to take heed
vsto attend
  • Formal
11 6.2

Pay careful attention to advice or warnings

is broader, applying to attention beyond warnings or advice
to pay heed
vsto attend
  • Formal
2 4.5

To listen carefully to advice or warnings

is more general and includes attention without specific warnings
to give ear
vsto attend
  • Archaic
1 6.2

To listen carefully to someone

also covers attentive looking and general heed beyond just speech
to give heed
vsto attend
1 6.4

To pay careful attention to what someone says or does

covers careful watching or listening beyond merely taking notice

Antonyms

1.0

Choose not to pay attention to someone or something

119 3.9

Ignore something or someone on purpose

Phrasal Verbs

151 3.6

To take care of someone or something

Go to church regularly, usually for religious reasons

How Attentive

to concentrate
561 3.4
to attend
22 3.2
to watch
1.0
to notice
1.0
to glance
299 1.5

Surface Forms

attend infinitive
attended past
attended past participle
attending present participle
attends third person singular

Morphology

attend = tend (semi-transparent) = at + tend

Formally analyzable as at- + tend, but the sense 'pay attention' is not transparently predictable from the common modern sense of 'tend' for an average B1 learner.

Etymology

Attend comes from the Latin parts ad- 'to' and tendere 'stretch' (you can see the same root in tension). Imagine 'stretching' your mind toward something you listen to. So to attend here is to pay close attention.