TENDING

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does tending mean? 

• TENDING (noun)
  The noun TENDING has 1 sense:

1. the work of providing treatment for or attending to someone or something

  Familiarity information: TENDING used as a noun is very rare.

• TENDING (adjective)
  The adjective TENDING has 1 sense:

1. (usually followed by 'to') naturally disposed toward

  Familiarity information: TENDING used as an adjective is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• TENDING (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

The work of providing treatment for or attending to someone or something

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

aid; attention; care; tending

Context example:

the old car needs constant attention

Hypernyms ("tending" is a kind of...):

work (activity directed toward making or doing something)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "tending"):

pedicure (professional care for the feet and toenails)

health care; healthcare (the preservation of mental and physical health by preventing or treating illness through services offered by the health profession)

tree surgery (treatment of damaged or decaying trees)

faith cure; faith healing (care provided through prayer and faith in God)

skin care; skincare (care for the skin)

personal care (care for someone who is disabled or is otherwise unable to care for themselves; can including bathing and cooking and managing bodily functions)

nurturance (physical and emotional care and nourishment)

tender loving care; TLC (considerate and solicitous care)

nursing (the work of caring for the sick or injured or infirm)

nourishment (the act of nourishing)

hair care; haircare; hairdressing (care for the hair: the activity of washing or cutting or curling or arranging the hair)

manicure (professional care for the hands and fingernails)

livery (the care (feeding and stabling) of horses for pay)

incubation (maintaining something at the most favorable temperature for its development)

intervention; treatment (care provided to improve a situation (especially medical procedures or applications that are intended to relieve illness or injury))

first aid (emergency care given before regular medical aid can be obtained)

dental care (care for the teeth)

pet sitting (the work of a pet sitter; caring for pets in their own home while their owners are away from home)

baby sitting; babysitting (the work of a baby sitter; caring for children when their parents are not home)

maternalism (motherly care; behavior characteristic of a mother; the practice of acting as a mother does toward her children)

Derivation:

tend (have care of or look after)

• TENDING (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

(usually followed by 'to') naturally disposed toward

Synonyms:

apt; disposed; given; minded; tending

Context example:

I am not minded to answer any questions

Similar:

inclined ((often followed by 'to') having a preference, disposition, or tendency)

 Context examples 

If he had but been able to look to a distance, and see how what they call the spirit of the age was tending!

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

A person who produces food by growing plants or tending animals.

(Farmer, NCI Thesaurus)

I believe he actually began to be afraid he really had been doing something, tending to the annihilation of the British constitution, and the ruin of the country.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

Serving or tending to restore health; a remedy.

(Cure, NCI Thesaurus)

But upon me had devolved the task of tending their wounds, and pulling them through, and I did my best by them.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

And outside he went, like a king, with all Sierra Vista about him and tending on him.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

A great deal of good sense followed on Sir Thomas's side, tending to reconcile his wife to the arrangement.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

MY gratitude will be insured immediately by any information tending to that end, and HERS must be gained by it in time.

(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)

He desired the queen to order that a particular care should be taken of me; and was of opinion that Glumdalclitch should still continue in her office of tending me, because he observed we had a great affection for each other.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)

Her queenly figure was moulded upon large and noble lines, while her face, though already tending to become somewhat heavy and coarse, was still remarkable for the brilliancy of the complexion, the beauty of the large, light blue eyes, and the tinge of the dark hair which curled over the low white forehead.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)