tend
The transitive sense evokes a feeling of nurturing and stewardship, implying a dedicated, ongoing effort to maintain the health or well-being of a living thing. It is frequently used in the context of gardening or caregiving, where the focus is on attentive maintenance. The intransitive sense describes a probabilistic inclination or a general pattern of behavior. It suggests a natural leaning or a statistical likelihood rather than a conscious choice, often used to describe habits, trends, or biological predispositions.
Meanings
To care for and provide for the needs of a person, animal, or plant.
"The gardener spent the entire morning tending the roses."
To be likely to behave in a particular way or have a certain characteristic.
"Older people tend to wake up earlier than teenagers."