lend

[ lend ]

verb (used with object)

, lent, lend·ing.

1. to grant the use of (something) on condition that it or its equivalent will be returned.
2. to give (money) on condition that it is returned and often that interest is paid for its temporary use.
3. to give or contribute obligingly or helpfully:

   to lend one's aid to a cause.

4. to adapt (oneself or itself ) to something:

   The building should lend itself to inexpensive remodeling.

5. to furnish or impart:

   Distance lends enchantment to the view.

verb (used without object)

, lent, lend·ing.

1. to make a loan.

lend

/ lɛnd /

verb

1. tr to permit the use of (something) with the expectation of return of the same or an equivalent
2. to provide (money) temporarily, often at interest
3. intr to provide loans, esp as a profession
4. tr to impart or contribute (something, esp some abstract quality)

   her presence lent beauty

5. tr to provide, esp in order to assist or support

   he lent his skill to the company

6. lend an ear
   lend an ear to listen
7. lend itself
   lend itself to possess the right characteristics or qualities for

   the novel lends itself to serialization

8. lend oneself
   lend oneself to give support, cooperation, etc

Derived Forms

• ˈlender, noun

Other Words From

• lender noun
• inter·lend verb interlent interlending
• over·lend verb overlent overlending
• re·lend verb (used with object) relent relending

Word History and Origins

Origin of lend¹

First recorded before 900; from Middle English lenden, variant (originally past tense) of lenen, Old English lǣnan (cognate with Dutch lenen, German lehnen, Old Norse lāna ), derivative of lǣn loan; cognate with German Lehnen, Old Norse lān; loan ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of lend¹

C15 lende (originally the past tense), from Old English lǣnan, from lǣn loan ¹; related to Icelandic lāna, Old High German lēhanōn

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. lend a hand, to give help; aid:

   If everyone lends a hand, we can have dinner ready in half an hour.

Example Sentences

In 2008, his monastery was in desperate need of funds and Vreeland decided to lend a hand with his first photography exhibition.

From The Daily Beast

His play The Hairy Ape, the agent noted, “could easily lend itself to radical propaganda.”

From The Daily Beast

After seeing the film, he also agreed to lend his synthesized voice to the latter portion.

From The Daily Beast

Is it that collectivist cultures such as those in Asia lend themselves to this nature of group sexual crime?

From The Daily Beast

Lakeside in Texas, baked by the heat, Louganis described how Red Bull got him to lend his credibility to the competition.

From The Daily Beast

Other orchestra leaders are always writing and begging him to lend them his copies of Oratorios, etc.

From Project Gutenberg

Then he held down a hand to her, bade her set her foot on his, and called with an oath to Rabecque to lend her his assistance.

From Project Gutenberg

The human species,” Charles Lamb says, “is composed of two distinct races, the men who borrow and the men who lend.

From Project Gutenberg

He took me to the house of a musical friend of his who was to lend me his grand piano, and there we tried our sonata.

From Project Gutenberg

To this the great do not care to lend their ears, and the small have not wings strong enough to fly so far.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• add
• afford
• allow
• contribute
• extend
• give
• grant
• impart
• provide
• supply