/ lend; NAmE / verb ( lent , lent / lent; NAmE /)
1.
lend (out) sth (to sb) | lend (sb) sth to give sth to sb or allow them to use sth that belongs to you, which they have to return to you later
SYN loan :
[ vn , vnn ]
I've lent the car to a friend.
Can you lend me your car this evening?
[ vnn ]
Has he returned that book you lent him?
➡ note at borrow
2.
lend sth (to sb) | lend (sb) sth ( of a bank or financial institution ) to give money to sb on condition that they pay it back over a period of time and pay interest on it
SYN loan :
[ vn , vnn ]
The bank refused to lend the money to us.
They refused to lend us the money.
[also v ]
—compare borrow
3.
lend sth (to sb/sth) | lend (sb/sth) sth ( formal ) to give a particular quality to a person or a situation :
[ vn ]
The setting sun lent an air of melancholy to the scene.
[ vnn ]
Her presence lent the occasion a certain dignity.
4.
lend sth (to sb/sth) | lend (sb/sth) sth to give or provide help, support, etc. :
[ vn ]
I was more than happy to lend my support to such a good cause.
[ vnn ]
He came along to lend me moral support.
•
IDIOMS
- lend an ear (to sb/sth)
- lend (sb) a (helping) hand (with sth)
- lend colour to sth
- lend your name to sth
- lend support, weight, credence, etc. to sth
—more at help verb
•
PHRASAL VERBS
- lend itself to sth
••
WORD ORIGIN
Old English lǣnan , of Germanic origin; related to Dutch lenen , also to loan . The addition of the final -d in late Middle English was due to association with verbs such as bend and send .