attend

at‧tend S2 W2 /əˈtend/ BrE AmE verb formal
[Word Family: noun: ↑attention, ↑attendant, ↑attentiveness ≠ ↑inattentiveness; verb: ↑attend; adverb: ↑attentively ≠ ↑inattentively; adjective: ↑attentive ≠ ↑inattentive]
[Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French; Origin: atendre, from Latin attendere, from ad- 'to' + tendere 'to stretch']
1. [intransitive and transitive] to go to an event such as a meeting or a class:
Only 12 people attended the meeting.
Please let us know if you are unable to attend.
REGISTER
In everyday English, people usually say go (to) or come (to) instead of attend:
▪ I didn’t go to the parents’ meeting.
▪ Please let us know if you can’t come.
2. [intransitive and transitive] to go regularly to a school, church etc:
I am the first child in my family to attend college.
3. [transitive] formal to happen or exist at the same time as something:
the peculiar atmosphere which attends such an event
4. [transitive usually passive] to look after someone, especially because they are ill:
On his deathbed the General was attended by several doctors.
attend to somebody/something phrasal verb
1. to deal with business or personal matters:
I may be late – I have got one or two things to attend to.
2. to help a customer in a shop or a restaurant SYN serve

Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

attend

at·tend [attend attends attended attending] [əˈtend] [əˈtend] verb
1. intransitive, transitive (rather formal) to be present at an event
• We'd like as many people as possible to attend.
• ~ sth The meeting was attended by 90% of shareholders.

• to attend a wedding/funeral

2. transitive ~ sth (formal) to go regularly to a place
• Our children attend the same school.

• How many people attend church every Sunday?

3. intransitive ~ (to sb/sth) (formal) to pay attention to what sb is saying or to what you are doing

• She hadn't been attending during the lesson.

4. transitive ~ sth (formal) to happen at the same time as sth

• She dislikes the loss of privacy that attends TV celebrity.

5. transitive ~ sb (formal) to be with sb and help them
• The President was attended by several members of his staff.
Derived: attend to somebody

Word Origin:
Middle English (in the sense ‘apply one's mind or energies to’): from Old French atendre, from Latin attendere, from ad- ‘to’ + tendere ‘stretch’.
Thesaurus:
attend verb
1. T, I (formal)
• Over 600 people attended the conference.
come • • go • • come along • • make it • • get •
come/go/come along/make it/get to sth
attend/come to/go to/come along to/make it to/get to a meeting/party
2. T (formal)
• The children attended the local school.
go to sth •
attend/go to school/college/a clinic/church/the mosque
regularly/occasionally attend/go to sth
Example Bank:
• He was invited to attend a seminar in Paris.
• Her lectures were generally rather sparsely attended.
• The event was well attended.
• to attend church regularly.
• He regularly attends the local mosque.
• Over 600 people attended the conference.
• Several members were unable to attend.
• She attended the college one day a week.
• She flew home to attend her father's funeral.
• She hadn't been attending during the lesson.
• The Senator was invited to attend, but he declined.
• The children attended the local school.
• The lecture was attended by most of the faculty.

• The patients all attend the clinic monthly.

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary

attend / əˈtend / verb (BE PRESENT)

B1 [ I or T ] to go to an event, place, etc.:

Over two hundred people attended the funeral.

The meeting is on the fifth and we're hoping everyone will attend.

→ See also well attended

B1 [ T ] to go officially and usually regularly to a place:

Which school do your children attend?

I attended the classes/seminars/lectures for a month or two.

attend / əˈtend / verb [ I ] formal (NOTICE)

to give attention to what someone is saying:

I'm afraid I wasn't attending to what was being said.

attend / əˈtend / verb [ T ] (PROVIDE HELP)

to provide a service to someone, especially as part of your job:

The queen was attended by her ladies-in-waiting.

attend / əˈtend / verb [ T ] formal (RESULT FROM)

to happen as a result of, and at the same time as:

the publicity that attends a career in television

Collins Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary

attend

[əte̱nd]

attends, attending, attended
1) VERB If you attend a meeting or other event, you are present at it.
  [V n] Thousands of people attended the funeral...
  [V n] The meeting will be attended by finance ministers from many countries...
  We want the maximum number of people to attend to help us cover our costs.
2) VERB If you attend an institution such as a school, college, or church, you go there regularly.
  [V n] They attended college together at the University of Pennsylvania. [Also V]
3) VERB If you attend to something, you deal with it. If you attend to someone who is hurt or injured, you care for them.
  [V to n] The staff will helpfully attend to your needs...
  [V to n] There are more pressing matters to be attended to today...
  [V to n] The main thing is to attend to the injured.

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary

attend

at·tend /əˈtɛnd/ verb -tends; -tend·ed; -tend·ing
1 a : to go to and be present at (an event, meeting, etc.)

[+ obj]

• My husband and I will both attend the banquet.
• How many people attended the baseball game?
• He won't be attending the conference.

[no obj]

• How many people will be attending?
• One hundred people attended.
b [+ obj] : to regularly go to (classes, church services, etc.)
• She attends a school in the city.
• He'll be attending the university in the fall.
• I am the first child in my family to attend college.
• We attend the same church.
2 [+ obj]
a : to help or care for (someone, such as a patient)
• Each nurse attends 15 patients.
b : to assist with (a birth)
• A midwife attended the birth.
- see also attending
3 [+ obj] formal : to go with or be with (someone) as a helper or adviser
• ministers who attend the king
• She's attended by several assistants.
attend to [phrasal verb] attend to (someone or something)
1 : to deal with (something)
• Please excuse me. I must attend to some business. = Please excuse me. I've got some business I must attend to.
2 : to give needed help or attention to (someone or something)
• Volunteers attend to the park for the summer.
• The hotel staff attended to my every need.
• Please make sure that the guests are attended to.