tent

1
[ tent ]
/ tɛnt /

noun

a portable shelter of skins, canvas, plastic, or the like, supported by one or more poles or a frame and often secured by ropes fastened to pegs in the ground.
something that resembles a tent.

verb (used with object)

to lodge in tents.
to cover with or as if with a tent: In winter the tennis courts are tented inplastic.

verb (used without object)

to live in a tent; encamp.

Origin of tent

1
1250–1300; Middle English tente < Old French < Latin tenta, feminine of tentus past participle of tendere to extend, stretch; compare tentōrium tent

OTHER WORDS FROM tent

tent·less, adjective tent·like, adjective

Definition for tent (2 of 3)

tent 2
[ tent ]
/ tɛnt /

verb (used with object) Chiefly Scot.

to give or pay attention to; heed.

Origin of tent

2
1250–1300; Middle English, derivative of tent (noun) attention, aphetic variant of attent < Old French atente attention, intention < Latin attenta, feminine of attentus, past participle of attendere to attend

Definition for tent (3 of 3)

tent 3
[ tent ]
/ tɛnt /
Surgery

noun

a probe.
a roll or pledget, usually of soft absorbent material, as lint or gauze, for dilating an orifice, keeping a wound open, etc.

verb (used with object)

to keep (a wound) open with a tent.

Origin of tent

3
1325–75; Middle English tente a probe < Middle French, noun derivative of tenter < Latin tentāre, variant of temptāre to probe, test. See tempt

Example sentences from the Web for tent

British Dictionary definitions for tent (1 of 4)

tent 1
/ (tɛnt) /

noun

  1. a portable shelter of canvas, plastic, or other waterproof material supported on poles and fastened to the ground by pegs and ropes
  2. (as modifier)tent peg
something resembling this in function or shape

verb

(intr) to camp in a tent
(tr) to cover with or as if with a tent or tents
(tr) to provide with a tent as shelter

Derived forms of tent

tented, adjective tentless, adjective tentlike, adjective

Word Origin for tent

C13: from Old French tente, from Latin tentōrium something stretched out, from tendere to stretch

British Dictionary definitions for tent (2 of 4)

tent 2
/ (tɛnt) med /

noun

a plug of soft material for insertion into a bodily canal, etc, to dilate it or maintain its patency

verb

(tr) to insert such a plug into (a bodily canal, etc)

Word Origin for tent

C14 (in the sense: a probe): from Old French tente (noun), ultimately from Latin temptāre to try; see tempt

British Dictionary definitions for tent (3 of 4)

tent 3
/ (tɛnt) /

noun

obsolete a red table wine from Alicante, Spain

Word Origin for tent

C16: from Spanish tinto dark-coloured; see tint

British Dictionary definitions for tent (4 of 4)

tent 4
/ (tɛnt) Scot /

noun

heed; attention

verb (tr)

to pay attention to; take notice of
to attend to

Derived forms of tent

tenter, noun

Word Origin for tent

C14: from attent attend and intent