lend

verb \ ˈlend \

Updated on: 13 Oct 2017

Definition of lend

lent play \ˈlent\; lending

transitive verb

1 a (1) :to give for temporary use on condition that the same or its equivalent be returned

lend me your pen

(2) :to put at another's temporary disposal

lent us their services

b :to let out (money) for temporary use on condition of repayment with interest

The bank lent him the money for home improvements.

2 a :to give the assistance or support of :afford, furnish

a dispassionate and scholarly manner which lends great force to his criticisms
—The Times Literary Supplement (London)

b :to adapt or apply (oneself) readily :accommodate

a topic that lends itself admirably to class discussion

intransitive verb

:to make a loan

—

lendable

play \ˈlen-də-bəl\ adjective

—

lender

noun

See lend defined for English-language learners

See lend defined for kids

loan vs. lend

The verb loan is one of the words English settlers brought to America and continued to use after it had died out in Britain. Its use was soon noticed by British visitors and somewhat later by the New England literati, who considered it a bit provincial. It was flatly declared wrong in 1870 by a popular commentator, who based his objection on etymology. A later scholar showed that the commentator was ignorant of Old English and thus unsound in his objection, but by then it was too late, as the condemnation had been picked up by many other commentators. Although a surprising number of critics still voice objections, loan is entirely standard as a verb. You should note that it is used only literally; lend is the verb used for figurative expressions, such as "lending a hand" or "lending enchantment."

Examples of lend in a Sentence

I lent our ladder to the neighbors.
The bank wouldn't lend us the money.
Many banks won't lend to people with bad credit.
They are glad to lend their support to worthy causes.

Recent Examples of lend from the Web

As political discourse in the U.S. continues to degenerate, more and more organizations are looking for ways to lend their support to important causes, and the fashion world is no exception.

— madeleine aggeler, The Cut, "The CFDA and ACLU Team Up for New York Fashion Week," 29 Aug. 2017
While Taylor works to break into the defensive line rotation, his height lends itself to a place on Kentucky’s field-goal block team.

— jon hale, The Courier-Journal, "After giving up basketball, Calvin Taylor showing promise for football Cats," 27 Aug. 2017
Valrhona is a premium French chocolate that lent the dessert a rich, luscious taste.

— birmingham magazine, AL.com, "Birmingham Restaurant Week Review: Lunch at Chez Fonfon," 11 Aug. 2017
The spirit's oak-barrel aging lends its own vanilla character.

— Popular Mechanics, "How to Make Ice Cream," 4 Aug. 2017
Only one minute and four seconds — exactly what the coaches hoped to see from their first-round pick, whose outstanding combination of creativity and arm strength lends itself to success in situations like the two-minute drill.

— terez a. paylor, kansascity, "Chiefs’ Mahomes shows promise during Alex Smith’s strong camp start," 29 July 2017
The People’s Bank of China, the country’s central bank, allowed the interest rate at which banks lend to each other to rise.

— The Economist, "A debt rollercoasterCredit growth in China is causing jitters," 20 July 2017
In this elegant garden spot that was once Terrine, Scott Conant practices a nuanced version of supper club Italian, where vongole balance on squid ink tagliolini and a robust rabe pesto lends a jolt to plump veal polpette.

— garrett snyder, Los Angeles Magazine, "The Los Angeles Magazine Hot Restaurant List for July 2017," 18 July 2017
The bank, the document said, was told by regulators that it was forbidden to lend to six of Wanda’s overseas acquisitions even if those ventures ran into difficulty raising money abroad.

— keith bradsher and sui-lee wee, New York Times, "Mysterious Document Is Latest Blow for Dalian Wanda," 17 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'lend.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of lend

Middle English lenen, lenden, from Old English lǣnan, from lǣn loan — more at loan

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: before 12th century

See Words from the same year

lend Synonyms

Synonyms

advance, loan

Antonyms

borrow

Related Words

furnish, give, grant; lease, let [chiefly British], rent

Near Antonyms

receive, take

Financial Definition of LEND

lender

noun

What It Is

A lender is a creditor or any entity to which you owe money for services provided.

How It Works

If you borrow money from XYZ Bank, XYZ Bank becomes your lender. Lenders are creditors, but not all creditors are lenders. For example, utility companies, health clubs, phone companies and credit card issuers can all be creditors if you have contracts with them or if they have performed services for which you have not yet paid.

Some lenders are more senior than others. For example, if Company XYZ issues bonds, the bondholders are essentially lenders who are senior to Company XYZ's shareholders. This means that should Company XYZ go bankrupt, the bondholders are entitled to repayment before the shareholders are.

In many cases, companies have several different types of debt, and some of these lenders may be subordinate to others. Some lenders may even be unsecured, meaning that the company has not pledged any collateral.

Why It Matters

Lenders may sue to obtain access to accounts or other assets if the borrower has not paid. Lenders may also place liens on the borrower's assets, meaning that the borrower cannot sell the assets without paying the lender first. In addition, lenders could report the problem to a credit bureau, which may place the item on the borrower's credit report.

Source: Investing Answers

LEND Defined for English Language Learners

lend

verb

Definition of lend for English Language Learners

: to give (something) to (someone) to be used for a period of time and then returned
: to give (money) to someone who agrees to pay it back in the future
: to make (something) available to (someone or something)

LEND Defined for Kids

lend

verb \ ˈlend \

Definition of lend for Students

lent \ˈlent\; lending

1 :²loan

2 :to give usually for a time

Volunteers lent help to flood victims.

3 :to add something that improves or makes more attractive

Tomato lends color to a salad.

—

lender

noun

Law Dictionary

lend

verb

legal Definition of lend

lent; lending

transitive verb

1 :to give for temporary use on condition that the same or its equivalent be returned

2 :to let out (money) for temporary use on condition of repayment with interest

intransitive verb

:to make a loan

—

lendable

adjective

—

lender

noun

Learn More about lend

See words that rhyme with lend Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for lend Spanish Central: Translation of lend Nglish: Translation of lend for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of lend for Arabic speakers

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lend

Definition of lend

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loan vs. lend

Examples of lend in a Sentence

Recent Examples of lend from the Web

Origin and Etymology of lend

lend Synonyms

Synonyms

Antonyms

Related Words

Near Antonyms

Financial Definition of LEND

What It Is

How It Works

Why It Matters

Phrases Related to LEND

Related Phrases

LEND Defined for English Language Learners

lend

Definition of lend for English Language Learners

LEND Defined for Kids

lend

Definition of lend for Students

lender

Law Dictionary

lend

legal Definition of lend

lendable

lender

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