lend

[lend] /lɛnd/
verb (used with object), lent, lending.
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 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, lending.
6.
to make a loan.
Idioms
7.
lend a hand, to give help; aid:
If everyone lends a hand, we can have dinner ready in half an hour.
Origin
before 900; Middle English lenden, variant (orig. 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. See loan1
Related forms
lender, noun
interlend, verb, interlent, interlending.
overlend, verb, overlent, overlending.
relend, verb (used with object), relent, relending.
Can be confused
borrow, lend, loan (see usage note at loan)
lend, loan.
Examples from the web for lend
  • Studying their composition and behavior may lend clues about how our planets formed.
  • However, not all enzymes and redox mediators lend themselves well to such bonding.
  • Various types of boxwood lend themselves to different uses.
  • One of the biggest problems with e-books is that you can't lend or re-sell them.
  • At one point, the university also said it might lend some of its valuable artwork for a fee rather than sell it.
  • Owners are often, understandably, reluctant to lend them.
  • Dyes and etching lend an extra dimension to an item.
  • Those perceptions have not been tested rigorously in people, but animal studies lend credence to them.
  • Witty, sometimes bawdy, skater names and costuming lend an air of performance to the sport.
  • Used fresh or dry, its leaves lend a pleasant, mildly sweet flavor to sauces and cooked dishes of all sorts.
British Dictionary definitions for lend

lend

/lɛnd/
verb lends, lending, lent (lɛnt)
1.
(transitive) 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.
(intransitive) to provide loans, esp as a profession
4.
(transitive) to impart or contribute (something, esp some abstract quality): her presence lent beauty
5.
(transitive) to provide, esp in order to assist or support: he lent his skill to the company
6.
lend an ear, to listen
7.
lend itself, to possess the right characteristics or qualities for: the novel lends itself to serialization
8.
lend oneself, to give support, cooperation, etc
Derived Forms
lender, noun
Word Origin
C15 lende (originally the past tense), from Old English lǣnan, from lǣnloan1; related to Icelandic lāna, Old High German lēhanōn
Word Origin and History for lend
v.

late 14c., from Old English lænan "to lend," from læn "loan" (see loan). Cognate with Dutch lenen, Old High German lehanon, German lehnen, also verbs derived from nouns. Past tense form, with terminal -d, became the principal form in Middle English on analogy of bend, send, etc.