attendere Italian · revision 39256

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1186, Fabriano document|origins=la tendō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /atˈtɛn.de.re/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''attendere''' (first-person singular present attèndo, first-person singular past historic attési, past participle attéso, auxiliary avére)^(Wiktionary)

+ The verb is conjugated like ''tendere'': past historic ''attesi'', past participle ''atteso''.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wiktionary) Old forms include [[roa-oit|atendere]] and [[roa-oit|actendere]].^(TLIO)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is a learned word, [[bor|la|attendō|alt=attendere|t=to turn one's mind to, pay attention]], from [[m|la|ad-|t=towards]] and [[m|la|tendō|t=to stretch]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary) The sense “to wait for” goes back to Medieval Latin, where it is recorded in charters of Lausanne of 852–875, and is shared by [[fro|atendre]], [[fr|attendre]], [[pro|atendre]] and [[es|atender]].^(DELI 1999)^(LEI|3, 2053) The meaning “to pay attention” survives in [[fur|atìndi]], Romansh, Catalan and Portuguese, and the sense “to keep a promise” matches Old Catalan.^(LEI|3, 2053)^(REW 1935) Leopardi thought that “wait for” came from “watch” in the same way as other verbs of looking.^(GDLI|1, 810)

+

+ De Vaan derives the Latin verb from the root [[ine-pro|*ten-|t=to stretch]], which also gave [[m|la|teneō|t=to hold]].^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The TLIO's first record is a document from Fabriano of 1186.^(TLIO) DELI's first record, with the sense “to wait for”, is in Bonagiunta Orbicciani before 1257: ''l'alta gio' che 'l core atende'', “the high joy that the heart awaits”.^(DELI 1999)^(GDLI|1, 810)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Old Italian used the verb for awaiting a future event, hoping or fearing, and for turning one's thought or care to someone or something: tending animals, holding an office, devoting oneself to study, observing a rule and keeping a promise.^(TLIO) Dante has ''lunga promessa con l'attender corto'', “long promise with short keeping”.^(Treccani 2011)^(Zingarelli 2010) The intransitive sense “to devote oneself” is in Dino Compagni in 1310–1312.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ Derivatives multiplied later: ''attesa'' “waiting” in the 13th century, ''attendibile'' “reliable” in 1751, the military ''attendente'', an officer's orderly, in 1889, and ''attendismo'', political wait-and-see, in 1942 after French ''attentisme''.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010) Today ''attendere'' is a more formal word than ''aspettare''; the senses “to listen carefully” and “to keep a promise” are archaic.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1186 – A Fabriano document has the first record.^(TLIO)

+ * Before 1257 – Bonagiunta uses ''attendere'' for “to wait for”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1310–1312 – Dino Compagni uses it for “to devote oneself to”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1751 – ''Attendibile'' “reliable” is first recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1889 – ''Attendente'' “orderly” is first recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1942 – ''Attendismo'' is recorded, modelled on French ''attentisme''.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # ''(transitive)'' To [[m|en|wait]] for, to [[m|en|await]] (more formal than ''aspettare''): ''Attendiamo una sua risposta.'' Also absolutely: ''Attenda in linea, prego.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(transitive)'' Of a future event, to be in store for: ''Ci attende un inverno difficile.''^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(intransitive)'' To devote oneself, apply oneself (''a''): ''attendere al proprio lavoro''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(transitive, archaic)'' To keep a promise.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # ''(archaic)'' To pay attention, listen carefully.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+ # ''attendersi'': to [[m|en|expect]]: ''Non mi attendevo tanto entusiasmo.''^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[attesa]]

+ * [[atteso]]

+ * [[attendente]]

+ * [[attendibile]]

+ * [[attendibilità]]

+ * [[inattendibile]]

+ * [[inatteso]]

+ * [[attendismo]]

+ * [[disattendere]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[attento]]

+ * [[attenzione]]

+ * [[tendere]]

+ * [[la|attendo]]

+ * [[fr|attendre]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Attendere al varco'' means to lie in wait for someone.^(GRADIT 2003) The past participle ''atteso'' is used in formal and bureaucratic language for “considering, given”, and ''atteso che'' for “considering that” goes back to Castiglione.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}