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† aˈtend, v.
Forms: Also ME attend, ME atent.
Etymology: late Old English atęndan , < - prefix1 + tęndan to v.; compare earlier Old English ontęndan.

Obsolete.
1.

a. transitive. To set on fire, kindle.

[994 Anglo-Saxon Chron. (Laud) Hi mid fyre ontendan woldon.]

1006 Anglo-Saxon Chron. (Laud) Hi..atendon heora beacna.
c1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 107 Leomene fader..for þan þe he sunne atend.
c1380 Sir Ferumbras (1879) l. 2413 A candlee he attendeþ.
c1460 (▸?c1400) Tale of Beryn l. 2728 A stoon, þat is so hote of kynde That what thing com forby, a-noon it woll a-tend.

b. fig.

c1175 Lamb. Hom. 95 Heortan þet calde weren..beon atende to þan heofenliche biboden.
a1250 Passion Our Lord 661 Old Eng. Misc. 56 Hi weren of þe holy goste attende.

2. intransitive. To take fire.

1398 J. T tr. Bartholomew de Glanville De Proprietatibus Rerum . iv Þis tre ‘Abies’ atenteþ ful sone, and brenneþ
with lyȝte leye.

This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1885).

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