tent

Etymology 1

From Middle English tente, borrowed from Old French tente, from Vulgar Latin *tenta (“tent”), from the feminine of Latin tentus, ptp. of tendere (“to stretch, extend”). Displaced native Middle English tild, tilt (“tent, tilt”), from Old English teld (“tent”). Compare Spanish tienda (“store, shop; tent”).

noun

1. A pavilion or portable lodge consisting of skins, canvas, or some strong cloth, stretched and sustained by poles, used for sheltering people from the weather.
   We were camping in a three-man tent.
   We bought a new tent that can be put up in five seconds, but it took about twenty minutes to take it down and pack it away.
2. (archaic) The representation of a tent used as a bearing.
3. (Scotland) A portable pulpit set up outside to accommodate worshippers who cannot fit into a church.
   A splendid tent was erected on the brae north of the town, and round that the countless congregation assembled. 1824, James Hogg, The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner
4. A trouser tent; a piece of fabric, etc. protruding outward like a tent.
   […] feeling his erection making a tent in his pants. 2013, Nathan Lapointe, A Strange New World

verb

1. (intransitive) To go camping.
   We’ll be tenting at the campground this weekend.
2. (cooking) To prop up aluminum foil in an inverted "V" (reminiscent of a pop-up tent) over food to reduce splatter, before putting it in the oven.
3. (intransitive) To form into a tent-like shape.
   The sheet tented over his midsection.
4. Synonym of fumigate

Etymology 2

From Middle English tent (“attention”), aphetic variation of attent (“attention”), from Old French atente (“attention, intention”), from Latin attenta, feminine of attentus, past participle of attendere (“to attend”).

verb

1. (archaic, UK, Scotland, dialect) To attend to; to heed
   14th century, anonymous, The Romance of Syr Tryamoure He let hur have wemen at wylle, To tent hur, and that was skylle, And brought hur to bede
2. (archaic, UK, Scotland, dialect) to guard; to hinder.

noun

1. (archaic, UK, Scotland, dialect) Attention; regard, care.
   Lo ! lo ! my frend , take tent to this womman a. 1451, John Lydgate, The Prohemy of a Marriage betwixt and Olde Man and a Yonge Wife, and the Counsail &c.
2. (archaic) Intention; design.
   A-pon þe feild his fader went a. 1300, anonymous author, Cursor Mundi

Etymology 3

From Middle English tente (“a probe”), from Middle French tente, deverbal of tenter, from Latin tentāre (“to probe, test”), alteration of temptāre (“to test, probe, tempt”).

noun

1. (medicine) A roll of lint or linen, or a conical or cylindrical piece of sponge or other absorbent, used chiefly to dilate a natural canal, to keep open the orifice of a wound, or to absorb discharges.
2. (medicine) A probe for searching a wound.

verb

1. (medicine, sometimes figurative) To probe or to search with a tent; to keep open with a tent.
   to tent a wound

Etymology 4

From Spanish tinto (“deep-colored”), from Latin tīnctus, past participle of tingo (“to dye”). More at tinge. Doublet of tint and tinto. Compare claret (“French red wine”), also from color.

noun

1. (archaic) A kind of red wine of a deep red color, chiefly from Galicia or Malaga in Spain.