Definition of lend
lent
play \ˈlent\;lending
transitive verb
1a (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 servicesb : to let out (money) for temporary use on condition of repayment with interest The bank lent him the money for home improvements.
2a : 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
lender
nounExplore M-W
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
-
The People’s Bank of China, the country’s central bank, allowed the interest rate at which banks lend to each other to rise.
-
No, the great man’s participation is limited to lending his name and likeness to the index the fund will be based on.
-
When the debt reached the point that every man, woman, and child in Greece owed the equivalent of $30,000 US, the banks quit lending the government money.
-
Lending against commodities sitting in a warehouse somewhere is a bread-and-butter business for banks involved in trade finance, a $4 trillion industry spanning everything from commodities, logistics and shipping.
-
But this interview represents yet another example of Stewart lending his time and voice to veterans' issues.
-
Alabama began working with Catapult in the spring of 2014 -- only months after Jimbo Fisher, a Nick Saban acolyte, lent credibility to its product by using the system and then leading Florida State to a national championship.
-
And of course, young Parker is eager for something noble to do with his powers and the flashy suit lent to him by Tony Stark.
-
That’s hard to know because unlike those two, Lending Tree does not divulge its model’s median error rate.
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
Financial Definition of LEND
lend
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.
LEND Defined for English Language Learners
lend
playDefinition 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
Law Dictionary
lend
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
adjectivelender
nounLearn 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
Seen and Heard
What made you want to look up lend? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
Writing? Check your grammar now!