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attend to

B1 formal inseparable transitive
In simple words

To take care of something or someone that needs your help.

Meanings

1 B1 formal

To deal with or take care of a task or matter.

"Please attend to the urgent emails before you leave for the day."

"I have matters to attend to."

— Common formal English expression, widely used in literary and professional contexts
Grammar: inseparable
2 B1 formal

To give care or assistance to a person, especially a customer, patient, or guest.

"The nurse attended to the patient's injuries quickly and efficiently."

"The doctor who attended to him said he was lucky to be alive."

— Common journalistic phrasing, widely attested in news reporting
Grammar: inseparable
3 B2 formal

To pay close attention to something, such as an instruction or speech.

"Students are expected to attend to the instructions before beginning the exam."

Grammar: inseparable
Usage notes

More formal than 'deal with' or 'see to'. Common in professional settings such as medicine, customer service, and business. Often implies a sense of duty or obligation. Frequently heard in service contexts: 'Someone will attend to you shortly.'

Commonly used with

needs matter customer patient business wound

Forms

Base
attend to
I/you/we/they
3rd person
attends to
he/she/it
Past simple
attended to
yesterday
Past participle
attended to
have + pp
-ing form
attending to
continuous

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