tend

tend — 動詞

1. if something or someone tends to do something, it is the usual or expected patte

1.動詞不及物B1
釋義

傾向於;往往

經常發生或表現出某種特徵

if something or someone tends to do something, it is the usual or expected pattern — for example, a puppy tends to chew on shoes, or winter weather tends to bring colder temperatures

例句

Children tend to copy whatever behaviour they see in their parents.

小孩往往會模仿他們在父母身上看到的行為。

tend + to-infinitive for habitual behaviour

Hyun tends to arrive at work earlier than anyone else in the office.

Hyun 往往比辦公室裡其他人都早到。

同義詞
  • be inclined to

    more formal; often suggests a deliberate leaning or opinion

  • be prone to

    suggests a negative or unwanted outcome ('prone to mistakes')

  • be liable to

    suggests risk with possible consequences, sometimes legal or financial

反義詞
  • avoid

    active opposite; deliberately not doing something despite the usual pattern

文法句型

tend + to-infinitive

用法筆記

Frequently used in the pattern 'tend + to-infinitive.' The subject can be a person, a group, an object, or a situation. This sense describes general patterns or habits, not specific actions happening right now — do NOT use continuous forms ('is tending to go'). Contrast with sense 5 (TAKE DIRECTION), which describes physical or figurative movement in a particular path rather than a general habit.

常見錯誤

She is tending to wake up early every day.
She tends to wake up early every day.
💡This sense does not take continuous/progressive forms.

2. to look after someone or something by providing the things they need — for examp

2.動詞及物 / 不及物B1
釋義

照料;照顧

照顧某人或某物,提供所需

to look after someone or something by providing the things they need — for example, watering plants, feeding animals, or helping a sick person feel comfortable

例句

The night-shift nurse tended to the injured passengers after the bus accident.

夜班護理師在公車事故後照料受傷的乘客。

tend + to + object for caregiving

Esme spends every afternoon tending her rose garden with great patience.

Esme 每天下午都很有耐心地照料她的玫瑰花園。

direct object without 'to' for gardens, plants, animals

同義詞
  • look after

    more casual and common in everyday British English

  • care for

    emphasises emotional involvement and concern

  • attend to

    more formal; suggests duty or responsibility

反義詞
  • neglect

    to fail to give proper care or attention to someone or something

  • ignore

    to deliberately pay no attention

文法句型

tend + object

tend + to + object

用法筆記

The object can be a person, an animal, a plant, or a place. Used with 'to' (tend to someone/something) in everyday speech, or directly transitive (tend someone/something) in more formal or literary writing. Do not confuse with sense 1 (BE LIKELY TO): 'I tend my garden' means 'I care for it,' not 'I am likely to garden.'

常見錯誤

She tended for the old man all afternoon.
She tended to the old man all afternoon.
💡The preposition is 'to,' not 'for,' when used intransitively.

3. to prepare and pour drinks for people who visit a bar, pub, or attend a party

3.動詞不及物B2
釋義

調酒

在酒吧調製並供應酒類飲品

to prepare and pour drinks for people who visit a bar, pub, or attend a party

例句

Walid tends bar at the hotel lounge every Friday and Saturday night.

Walid 每週五和週六晚上在飯店大廳酒吧調酒。

idiom: tend bar

Ari learned to tend bar at a pub near his Boston University campus.

Ari 在波士頓大學校區附近的一家酒吧學會了調酒。

同義詞
  • bartend

    modern, informal; common in American English

  • serve

    broader meaning not limited to drinks

文法句型

tend bar

tend the bar

用法筆記

Almost always used in the fixed expression 'tend bar' or 'tend the bar.' Not commonly used with other objects related to drink service. To describe this job in modern everyday English, 'work as a bartender' or 'bartend' is more common.

4. to play as the goalkeeper in sports such as football (soccer), hockey, or lacros

4.動詞及物C1
釋義

守門

在球類比賽中擔任守門員

to play as the goalkeeper in sports such as football (soccer), hockey, or lacrosse, with the job of stopping the ball or puck from going into the goal

例句

Mira tended goal for the national team during the World Cup final match.

Mira 在世界盃決賽中為國家隊鎮守球門。

sports idiom: tend goal

Ife has been tending the net for her university hockey team since her first year.

Ife 從大一開始就為她的大學曲棍球隊守門。

同義詞
  • keep goal

    common in British English football contexts

  • guard the net

    descriptive phrase, not a standard fixed expression

文法句型

tend goal

tend the net

tend the posts

用法筆記

Used in fixed expressions: 'tend goal,' 'tend the net,' or 'tend the posts.' Found in football (soccer), ice hockey, field hockey, and lacrosse. In everyday conversation, 'play in goal' or 'be the goalkeeper' is more common.

5. to go or shift along a specific path, or to gradually reach a certain condition

5.動詞不及物C1
釋義

趨向;走向

朝某方向發展或呈現某種趨勢

to go or shift along a specific path, or to gradually reach a certain condition — for example, prices heading higher, or a conversation turning to more serious topics

例句

Interest rates are tending upwards as the country's economy slowly recovers from recession.

隨著經濟慢慢從衰退中復甦,利率正趨於上升。

tend + adverb of direction (upwards, downwards, eastward)

The conversation tended towards more serious topics as the evening went on.

隨著夜晚的進行,談話逐漸轉向更嚴肅的話題。

同義詞
  • incline

    more formal and literary; suggests a gradual leaning

  • gravitate

    suggests attraction or natural pull towards something

  • drift

    suggests a slow, often unplanned movement

反義詞
  • diverge

    to move away from a common point or direction

文法句型

tend + adverb (upwards, downwards, eastward)

tend + toward/towards + noun

用法筆記

Common with adverbs of direction (upwards, downwards, eastward, northward) or the preposition 'toward/towards.' More formal than sense 1 (BE LIKELY TO): sense 1 describes habitual behaviour, while sense 5 describes directional movement or change. Often used in economics, geography, and analytical writing.

6. to be in charge of the daily operations of a business or workplace — for example

6.動詞及物C1
釋義

管理;經營

負責掌管或運作某事業場所

to be in charge of the daily operations of a business or workplace — for example, running a shop, a farm, a store, or a vineyard

例句

Christopher tends the family dairy farm while his parents are travelling abroad.

Christopher 在父母出國旅行期間管理家裡的酪農場。

tend + farm/shop/store for management

Sahil tends the shop every Saturday while his brother takes the day off.

Sahil 每週六在哥哥休息時幫忙看店。

同義詞
  • manage

    broader; includes staff, budgets, and strategic decisions

  • run

    informal; common in everyday speech ('run a shop')

  • operate

    more technical or formal; suggests managing systems or machinery

文法句型

tend + shop/farm/store/business

用法筆記

Common with nouns referring to a physical place of work: shop, farm, store, vineyard, garden centre, or stall. Less common with abstract nouns like 'department' or 'project.' Usually transitive with a direct object. Compare with sense 2 (CARE FOR): when you tend a farm, you manage its business operations; when you tend a garden, you care for the plants.