tendo

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈtɛn.doː]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈtɛn.do]^[1]

Forms

tendō (present infinitive tendere, perfect active tetendī, supine tentum or tēnsum); third conjugation^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Italic *tend-, inherited from Proto-Indo-European *ten-d(ʰ)- (“to stretch”), a present formed from the root *ten- (“to stretch”).^[2][1] The same root gave Latin a second present, teneō, and the two share the participle tentus.^[2]

Cognate with Ancient Greek τείνω (teínō, “to stretch”) and Sanskrit तनोति (tanóti, “stretches”).^[3][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is found from Plautus onwards.^[2] Ennius writes “weeping, I stretched out my hands to the blue regions of the sky”.^[3]

Semantic evolution

It meant to stretch out or hold out, as hands in prayer, and to extend.^[3] Tents were stretched, as Caesar's general's tent, and nets and snares were spread, as in Terence and Cicero.^[3] It meant to pull tight, as reins or a bow, and to distend, as full udders.^[3][5]

It also meant to direct one's steps or course, and used alone to head somewhere, as Cicero wonders whether to make for Venusia.^[3] Paths and lands extended, and processes moved on.^[3] Figuratively it meant to insist, to strain against an opponent, as Catiline fighting hard in Sallust, and to aim at something.^[3] It survives as French tendre, Italian tendere, Spanish and Portuguese tender and Romanian tinde.^[1] English tend, tent and tense come from it.^[6]

Timeline

• 204–169 BC – Ennius uses it for stretching out hands.^[3][7]
• 190–159 BC – Terence uses it for spreading a net.^[3][7]
• c. 50 BC – Caesar uses it for pitching a tent.^[3][7]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it for heading somewhere.^[3][7]
• c. 1300 – English tent is first recorded.^[6]
• early 14th century – English tend is first recorded.^[6]

Meanings

Verb

1. To stretch out, hold out; to extend.^[3][8]
2. To pitch (a tent).^[3][1]
3. To spread (a net).^[3]
4. To pull tight; to bend (a bow).^[3][5]
5. To distend.^[3]
6. To direct (one's course); to make one's way.^[3][1]
7. To extend, reach.^[3][1]
8. To insist; to strive, contend.^[3][1]
9. To aim (at).^[3][1]

Word family

• attendō
• circumtendō
• contendō
• dētendō
• distendō
• extendō
• extentō
• intendō
• obtendō
• ostendō
• pertendō
• portendō

Related words

• tendicula
• tendor
• tēnsiō
• tēnsūra
• tenta
• tentipellium
• tento
• teneō
• English tend
• English tent
• English tense
• English attention

Usage notes

A Medieval Latin noun tendō, tendinis, “tendon”, was borrowed from Ancient Greek τένων (ténōn, “sinew”) and spelled after the verb; it gave English tendon.^[1][6]

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
4. ^ Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
5. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
6. ^ a b c d Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
7. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
8. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press