intend

1 have in mind as a purpose; "I mean no harm"; "I only meant to help you"; "She didn't think to harm me"; "We thought to return early that night" [syn: mean, think]

2 design or destine; "She was intended to become the director" [syn: destine, designate, specify]

3 mean or intend to express or convey; "You never understand what I mean!"; "what do his words intend?" [syn: mean]

4 denote or connote; "`maison' means `house' in French"; "An example sentence would show what this word means" [syn: mean, signify, stand for]

English

Etymology

From entend, “direct (one’s) attention towards”, from entendre, from intendere.

Pronunciation

• /ɪnˈtɛnd/
• Rhymes with: -ɛnd

Verb

1. Stretch to extend; distend.
2. Strain; make tense.
3. Intensify; strengthen.
4. Apply with energy.
5. Bend or turn; direct, as one’s course or journey.
6. Fix the mind on; attend to; take care of; superintend; regard.
7. Fix the mind upon (something to be accomplished); be intent upon; mean; design; plan; purpose.
8. Design mechanically or artistically; fashion; mold.
9. Pretend; counterfeit; simulate.

Usage notes

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

Translations

• Finnish: aikoa (7)
• French: envisager (7)
• Russian: намереваться (namerevatsya)
• Ukrainian: наміритись, планувати

Related terms

• intensive
• intent

Intend may refer to:

• Intendant
• Intended reader
• Intending cross

• Intend Change, a 1999 consulting business

See also

• Intent
• In
• Tend

add up to, aim, aim at, aim to, arrange, aspire after, aspire to, assign, attempt, be after, calculate, cast, concert, connote, contemplate, contrive, cut out, denote, design, designate, desire, destine, determine, devise, drive at, endeavor, essay, express, figure, forecast, frame, go for, harbor a design, have every intention, have in mind, import, intend to, lay plans, look forward to, make a projection, make arrangements, mean, mean to, methodize, mind, organize, plan, plan ahead, plot, prearrange, program, project, propose, propose to, purport, purpose, rationalize, resolve, resolve to, schedule, schematize, scheme, set up, shape, signify, spell, strive, systematize, think, try, work out, work up