intend
- 01 B1 Intermediate
to have a plan or a goal in your mind to do something.
to have a specific purpose or plan in mind; to resolve to perform an action.
Simple“I intend to finish my report before the weekend starts.”
In context“The developers intend to renovate the historic warehouse, transforming it into a modern community hub while preserving its original facade.”
UsageCommonly followed by a 'to' infinitive or a 'that' clause.
PitfallI intend doing it tomorrow. I intend to do it tomorrow.While 'intend doing' is occasionally used, 'intend to do' is the standard and most common pattern for this verb.
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
to plan for something to be used by a specific person or for a specific reason.
to design, destine, or reserve something for a particular purpose or recipient.
Simple“This book was intended for children, but many adults enjoy it too.”
In context“The scholarship was originally intended for students from low-income backgrounds, though the criteria have recently been expanded to include first-generation applicants.”
UsageOften used in the passive voice with 'for'.
intend vs pretend — Pretend is acting out a fiction; intend is planning a future reality.
From Middle English intenden, entenden (“direct (one’s) attention towards”), borrowed from Old French entendre, from Latin intendō, intendere. See also intensive. Doublet of entendre. Largely displaced native Old English myntan (“to mean, intend; to think, suppose”), whence dialectal mint.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.