Bartends

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. To prepare a variety of cocktails and beverages for patrons while maintaining a clean and inviting bar atmosphere
2. To serve drinks to customers, ensuring they are satisfied while also managing the bar's inventory and environment
3. Prepares and offers alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages to guests behind a counter

Etymology: "Bartends" is the third-person singular present form of "bartend," which is a back-formation from "bartender." That means the verb was created by stripping the "-er" ending off the older noun, reversing the usual direction in which words grow. Speakers first had the noun "bartender" for the person who works behind a bar, and only later treated that noun as if it were built from a verb "to bartend," which then gained its own conjugated forms. The noun itself is a compound of "bar" and the agent suffix "-er," so a bartender is literally one who works at the bar. The "bar" element comes from the barrier across a counter or room, which is where the sense of a serving counter developed. The verb "bartends" therefore describes the action of doing that job: preparing drinks and keeping the counter in order for customers.

Synonyms: serves drinks