attendant, a. and n.
(əˈtɛndənt)
Also 4–6 -aunt.
[a. OF. attendant, pr. pple. of attendre, earlier atendre, to attend.]
A. adj.
† 1. Turning the attention, giving earnest heed; watchful, observant, attentive. Obs.
| 1432 Paston Lett. 18. I. 34 Attendant and obeissant in accomplishing therof. 1509 Hawes Past. Pleas. xvi. lxxi, Her servaunt To obtayne her love is so attendaunt. 1649 Selden Laws Eng. ii. xiii. (1739) 73 To have the King..attendant upon his Advice. |
2. Waiting upon, accompanying, or following, in order to do service; ministrant.
| c 1485 Digby Myst. (1882) iii. 1872 In good soth we byn a-tenddawntt. 1575 (title) Robert Laneham's Letter.. from a freend officer attendant in the Court. 1667 Milton P.L. viii. 149 Other Suns..With thir attendant Moons thou wilt descrie. 1828 Scott F.M. Perth xxviii, From the attendant flotilla rang notes of triumph. |
b. Const. to (obs.), on, upon.
| 1393 Gower Conf. II. 172 As damiselles attendaunt To the goddesses. 1531–2 Act 23 Hen. VIII, v. §4 Officers..attendant to you in and aboute the due execucion of this our commission. 1675 Traherne Chr. Ethics xxx. 473 His guardian angels alwaies attendant on him. 1849 Macaulay Hist. Eng. iii. I. 314 Fresh meat was never eaten even by the gentlemen attendant on a great Earl. |
† 3. Law. Dependent on; owing duty or service to.
| 1393 Gower Conf. I. 214 To whom the lond was attendant As he, whiche heir was apparant. c 1400 Destr. Troy vii. 3369 Yles ynow are attendant to Troy. 1528 Perkins Prof. Bk. v. §424 The tenant in dower..shall be attendant unto them by the rate and portion of the rent. 1641 Termes de la Ley 31 His wife shal be endowed of the land, and shee shall be attendant to the heire of the third part of 1. d. |
4. Accompanying, in a dependent position; closely consequent or resulting. Const. on, upon.
Attendant Keys in Mus.: the keys or scales on the fifth above, and fifth below (or fourth above), any key-note or tonic, considered in relation to the key or scale on that tonic.
| 1617 Collins Def. Bp. Ely i. v. 220 Miracles come from no inhaerent power..from a circumstant rather, or an attendant. 1750 Johnson Rambl. No. 77 ¶11 To show innocence and goodness with such attendant weaknesses. 1833 H. Martineau Brooke F. vi. 72 The suffering and death attendant upon war. Mod. The attendant circumstances. |
5. Present at any public proceeding or at the place in which it is held.
| 1588 Lambarde Eiren. ii. ii. 101 Ecclesiasticall persons (if they be not attendant upon diuine seruice) may be arrested for the Peace. 1880 tr. Daudet's Fromont & Risler i. ii. 12 The round of fêtes with their attendant crowds. |
B. n.
1. One who waits upon, accompanies, or follows another in order to render service; one of a retinue or train; a servant, satellite, subordinate companion.
| 1555 Fardle Facions i. v. 57 He laied all the faulte vpon the ministres and attendauntes. 1604 Shakes. Oth. iv. iii. 8 Dismisse your Attendant there. 1780 Harris Philol. Enq. (1841) 480 This author was a constant attendant upon the person of this great prince. 1822 Byron Juan vii. lxxii, Two..ladies, who With their attendant aided our escape. |
b. transf. or fig.
| 1667 Milton P.L. vii. 547 Least sin Surprise thee, and her black attendant, Death. 1793 Smeaton Edystone L. §129 Hancock's Sloop, which I had before made use of as an attendant. 1837 Whewell Hist. Induct. Sc. (1857) I. 301 Jupiter also has attendants. |
2. ‘One that waits the pleasure of another.’ J.
| 1684 T. Burnet Th. Earth (J.) To give an attendant quick despatch is a civility. |
3. Something that accompanies in a circumstantial relation; an accompaniment, close consequent.
| 1607 Schol. Disc. agst. Antichr. i. i. 56 [The Crosse] is vsed by vs, as an attendant vpon the Sacrament. 1660 Waterhouse Arms & Arm. 36 They had their Crowns, Chayns, Rings, like our attendants of Knighthood. 1737 Pope Hor. Epist. ii. i. 247 The laugh, the jest, attendants on the bowl. 1869 J. Coleridge Keble iv. 65 Melancholy is a common attendant on poetic genius. |
4. One who is present at any public proceeding or at the place in which it is held.
| 1641 Hinde J. Bruen xxx. 95 The attendants..of such Wakes. a 1745 Swift (J.) A constant attendant at all meetings relating to charity. 1882 Picton Cromwell ii. 26 His parents were certainly diligent attendants at church. |
5. Law. (See A 3.)