To work as a bartender, serving drinks and managing a bar for customers.
From 'bar' (counter where drinks are served) plus 'tend' (to care for or manage). This verb emerged in American English in the 20th century as bartending became a recognized profession.
Bartending is one of the few professions that literally has 'tend' in its name—bartenders 'tend' the bar the way gardeners 'tend' plants, revealing how the job was once seen as nurturing a social space!
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.