attend

verb22

1. •
   to go to and be at an event, or to go often to a place such as a school or a church

   • Children must attend primary school.
2. •
   Followed by at: to go to and be present at a place for some purpose; also (obsolete), followed by on: to be present at and take part in an event.

   • 'Whither goest thou?' he exclaimed, 'at this hour, were it not better thou attendedst at vespers?' — 1837
3. •
   To take action with respect to (someone, or something such as a concern, problem, or task); to deal with, to handle.
4. •
   Followed by to: to take action with respect to someone or something; to deal with.

   • Secretaries attend to correspondence.
5. •
   To care for (someone requiring attention); specifically, of a doctor, nurse, etc.: to provide professional care to (someone).

   • The fift [beadsman] had charge sick persons to attend, / And comfort those, in point of death vvhich lay; […] — 1590
6. •
   Followed by to: to look after someone or something.

   • Valets attend to their employers’ wardrobes.
7. •
   Often followed by to, upon, or with: to give consideration; to pay attention.
8. •
   To wait on (someone or their instructions) as an attendant, servant, etc.; also (specifically of a gentleman-in-waiting or lady-in-waiting to a member of royalty), to accompany (someone) in order to assist or wait upon them; to escort.

   • Servants attend the king day and night.
9. •
   To be ready to wait upon someone or their instructions as an attendant, servant, etc.; also (followed by on or upon), to accompany someone in order to assist or wait upon them.

   • Following on the veiled Bride / Fifty female slaves attend / In costly robes that gleam / With interwoven gold, […] — 1801
10. •
    Of a (chiefly immaterial) thing: to be consequent to or present with (someone or something); to accompany.

    • a measure attended with ill effects
11. •
    Followed by on or upon: of a (chiefly immaterial) thing: to be consequent on or present with.

    • But I assest the gods, your full consent, / Gaue vvings to my propension, and cut off / All feares attending on so dire a proiect, […] — 1602
12. •
    (no longer used) To look after (someone or something); to tend.

    • They [plate and jewels] are in a Trunke / Attended by my men: I vvill make bold / To send them to you, onely for this night: […] — 1611
13. •
    (no longer used) To listen to (something or someone).

    • Avvay, I do condemne mine eares, that haue / So long attended thee. — 1611
14. •
    (no longer used) To give consideration to (someone or something); to heed, to pay attention, to regard.

    • Attend thy footsteps vvhen thou dravvest near / The House of God; […] — 1645
15. •
    (no longer used) Followed by to or unto: to listen.

    • Those Vnckles vvhich you vvant, vvere dangerous, / Your Grace attended to their sugred vvords, / But lookt not on the poison of their hearts: […] — 1593
16. •
    (no longer used) To look out or wait for (someone, or something such as a decision or event); to await.

    • Aegyptian 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
17. •
    (figurative, no longer used) Of a thing: to be in store or lie in wait for (someone or something); to await.
18. •
    (no longer used) To remain and wait; to abide.

    • The lady attended as if she expected I should go on. — 1768
19. •
    (figurative, no longer used) Followed by for: of a thing: to be in store or lie in wait.
20. •
    (no longer used) To expect or look forward to (someone or something).

    • Yet sattest thou an idle looker on, / And glad attendest vvhich side vvonne or lost: […] — 1600
21. •
    (no longer used, rare) Followed by for: to expect or look forward.
22. •
    (no longer used) To intend (something).