Now Sc. and north. dial. Also 4–5 tente, (5 teynt). [Aphetic for ATTENT and entent, INTENT: cf. TEND v.1, of which tent is practically a deriv., as attent of attend, intent of intend.]
1. Attention, heed, care; nearly always in the phrases † give tent, to give heed, pay attention (obs.), and take tent, to take heed, take care; with to, to pay attention to, take heed to; = ATTENT sb. 1, 2, INTENT sb. 2.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 661. Lok for-þi, þat ȝee tak tent Þat ȝee ne brek mi commament. Ibid., 19464. A child hight saulus … Tok tent to-quils to þair wede. Ibid., 19514. Þar þe folk wit full assent Til his wordes gaf þair tent.
c. 1325. Song of Mercy, 8, in E. E. P. (1862), 118. Of whuche, to on i toke goode tent.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. Wace (Rolls), 7025. Þe kyng til hym gaf no tent.
1382. Wyclif, Ps. lxxvii. 1. Taketh tente, my puple, to my lawe. Ibid., 1 Tim. iv. 1. In the laste tymes summen schulen departe fro the feith, ȝyuynge tent to spiritis of errour. Ibid. (1388), Ps. xxxix. [xl.] 1. He ȝaf tent to me.
c. 1400. Laud Troy Bk., 4333. To theire schippis hadde thei no teynt.
1533. Gau, Richt Vay (S.T.S.), 65. Tak tent that thow sine na mair.
a. 1637. B. Jonson, Underwoods, Eupheme, I. viii. The high parliament Of Heaven; where Seraphim take tent Of ordering all.
1728. Ramsay, Last Sp. Miser, xvii. I took good tent, That double pawns … Lay in my hands.
1816. Scott, Old Mort., xliii. ‘This is the way,’ said the little girl; ‘follow me, gin ye please, sir, but tak tent to your feet.’
1855. Robinson, Whitby Gloss., s.v., Mind and tak tent on ’em.
† 2. Intent, purpose; INTENT sb. 1, ATTENT sb. 3. Obs.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 14288. Bot mari was in a-noþer tent [v.r. entent] Wit hir lauerd to speke sco went.
1399. Langl., Rich. Redeles, II. 97. Trouthe haþe determyned þe tente to þe ende.
14[?]. Beryn, 126. For ethir-is þouȝt & tent was, othir to begile.
c. 1450. St. Cuthbert (Surtees), 18. Þe autours of his tente he tellys.
