intend

English Online Dictionary. What means intend‎? What does intend mean?

English

Etymology

From Middle English intenden, entenden (“direct (one’s) attention towards”), borrowed from Old French entendre, from Latin intendō, intendere. See also intensive. Doublet of entendre.

Largely displaced native Old English myntan (“to mean, intend; to think, suppose”), whence dialectical mint.

Pronunciation

• enPR: ĭn-tĕndʹ, IPA^(key): /ɪnˈtɛnd/
• Rhymes: -ɛnd
• Hyphenation: in‧tend

Verb

intend (third-person singular simple present intends, present participle intending, simple past and past participle intended)

1. (transitive, intransitive, usually followed by particle "to" + verb, or "on"/"upon" + noun) To fix the mind upon (something, or something to be accomplished); be intent upon

   Synonyms: mean, design, plan, propose, purpose, (Northern England, Scotland) foremind, mint
2. To fix the mind on; attend to; take care of; superintend; regard.
3. (obsolete) To stretch to extend; distend.
4. To strain; make tense.
5. (obsolete) To intensify; strengthen.
   • , Bk.I, New York, 2001, p.139:

     Dotage, fatuity, or folly […] is for the most part intended or remitted in particular men, and thereupon some are wiser than others […].

6. To apply with energy.
7. To bend or turn; direct, as one’s course or journey.
8. To design mechanically or artistically; fashion; mold.
9. To pretend; counterfeit; simulate.

Usage notes

• This is a catenative verb that mostly takes the to infinitive. See Appendix:English catenative verbs.

Conjugation

Derived terms

Related terms

• intense
• intensive
• intent
• intention
• intension

Translations

Further reading

• “intend”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.

Anagrams

• Dinnet, dentin, dinnet, indent, tinned