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Contend vs Tend - What's the difference?

contend | tend |

As verbs the difference between contend and tend

is that contend is to strive in opposition; to contest; to dispute; to vie; to quarrel; to fight while tend is to kindle; ignite; set on fire; light; inflame; burn.

contend

English

(Webster 1913)

Verb

(en verb)
  • to strive in opposition; to contest; to dispute; to vie; to quarrel; to fight.
  • * Bible, Deuteronomy ii. 9
    • The Lord said unto me, Distress not the Moabites, neither contend with them in battle.
  • * Shakespeare
    • For never two such kingdoms did contend without much fall of blood.
  • to struggle or exert one's self to obtain or retain possession of, or to defend.
  • * Dryden
    • You sit above, and see vain men below / Contend for what you only can bestow.
  • to strive in debate; to engage in discussion; to dispute; to argue.
  • * John Locke
    • The question which our author would contend for.
  • * Dr H. More
    • Many things he fiercely contended about were trivial.

    Synonyms

    * struggle, fight, combat, vie, strive, oppose, emulate, contest, litigate, dispute, debate

    Related terms

    * contender * contention * contentious

    External links

    * *

    tend

    English

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) tenden, from (etyl) . Related to (l).

    Alternative forms

    * (l), (l), (l), (l), (l) * (l), (l), (l), (l) (Scotland)

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To kindle; ignite; set on fire; light; inflame; burn.
    • Derived terms
    * (l), (l)

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl) *.

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (legal, Old English law) To make a tender of; to offer or tender.
  • (followed by a to infinitive) To be likely, or probable to do something, or to have a certain characteristic.
    • They tend to go out on Saturdays.
    It tends to snow here in winter.
    Usage notes
    * In sense 2. this is a catenative verb that takes the to infinitive. * See
    Derived terms
    * tendency

    See also

    * be given to

    Etymology 3

    From (etyl) . More at (l).

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (with to) To look after (e.g. an ill person.)
    • We need to tend to the garden, which has become a mess.
  • To accompany as an assistant or protector; to care for the wants of; to look after; to watch; to guard.
    • Shepherds tend their flocks.
  • * Emerson
    • There's not a sparrow or a wren, / There's not a blade of autumn grain, / Which the four seasons do not tend / And tides of life and increase lend.
  • To wait (upon), as attendants or servants; to serve; to attend.
  • * Shakespeare
    • Was he not companion with the riotous knights / That tend upon my father?
  • (obsolete) To await; to expect.
    • (Shakespeare)
  • (obsolete) To be attentive to; to note carefully; to attend to.
  • * Chapman
    • Being to descend / A ladder much in height, I did not tend / My way well down.
  • (nautical) To manage (an anchored vessel) when the tide turns, to prevent it from entangling the cable when swinging.

    • External links

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    Anagrams

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