Caretakes

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. To provide for and support someone or something over time; to take responsibility for the well-being of a person or entity; to manage and nurture the needs of another individual or group with care and attention
2. To assume the role of caregiver or custodian for someone or something; to fulfill the duties of maintenance and care for an individual or organization; to oversee and ensure the proper functioning and health of a person or group
3. To look after and attend to the requirements of someone or something; to oversee the welfare and upkeep of an individual or organization; to provide support and guidance in various aspects as needed

Etymology: "Caretakes" is the third-person singular present form of "caretake," a verb formed by back-formation from "caretaker" and "caretaking." In other words, speakers did not start with the verb: they began with the noun "caretaker," the person who looks after a property or a person, and the verb was created later by stripping off the agent ending. The two parts are plain English words. "Care" carries the sense of watchful attention and responsibility, and "take" here means to take charge of something, as in "take over" or "take on." Put together, the verb describes taking on the job of looking after something that belongs to someone else or needs tending, whether a building, a garden, a sick relative, or an organisation.

Synonyms: supervises, manages, tends, oversees, took care

Antonyms: neglects, abandons, ignores, overlooks, disregards