From earlier len (with excrescent -d, as in sound), from Middle English lenen, lænen, from Old English lǣnan (“to lend; give, grant, lease”), from Proto-West Germanic *laihnijan, from Proto-Germanic *laihnijaną (“to loan”), from Proto-Germanic *laihną (“loan”), from Proto-Indo-European *leykʷ- (“to leave, leave over”). Cognate with Scots len, lend (“to lend”), West Frisian liene (“to lend, borrow, loan”), Dutch lenen (“to lend, borrow, loan”), Danish låne (“to lend, loan”), Swedish låna (“to lend, loan”), Icelandic lána (“to lend, loan”), Icelandic léna (“to grant”), Latin linquō (“quit, leave, forlet”), Ancient Greek λείπω (leípō, “leave, release”). See also loan.
1
To allow to be used by someone temporarily, on condition that it or its equivalent will be returned.
I will only lend you my car if you fill up the tank.
Where is that hundred euros I lent you months ago?
1 more example
Finance is seldom romantic. But the idea of peer-to-peer lending comes close. This is an industry that brings together individual savers and lenders on online platforms. Those that want to borrow are matched with those that want to lend.2013 June 1, “End of the peer show”, in The Economist, volume 407, number 8838, London: The Economist Group, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 71:
2
To make a loan.
3
To be suitable or applicable, to fit.
Poems do not lend themselves to translation easily.
The long history of the past does not lend itself to a simple black and white interpretation.
4
To afford; to grant or furnish in general.
Can you lend me some assistance?
The famous director lent his name to the new film.
3 more examples
[…] Cato, lend me for a vvhile thy Patience, / And condeſcend to hear a young Man ſpeak.1712 (date written), [Joseph] Addison, Cato, a Tragedy. […], London: […] J[acob] Tonson, […], published 1713, →OCLC, Act II, scene i, page 23:
Mountain lines and distant horizons lend space and largeness to his compositions.1886, John Addington Symonds, Sir Philip Sidney:
FORSEA absolutely condemns the political manipulation on the part of the junta, General Prayuth, the Thai Senate and the parties that lent their support for General Prayuth that led him to parliamentary victory.2019 June 8, “Condemning the return to premiership of General Prayuth Chan-ocha through a manipulative method”, in forsea.co, FORSEA, retrieved 09 Jun 2019:
From earlier len (with excrescent -d, as in sound), from Middle English lenen, lænen, from Old English lǣnan (“to lend; give, grant, lease”), from Proto-West Germanic *laihnijan, from Proto-Germanic *laihnijaną (“to loan”), from Proto-Germanic *laihną (“loan”), from Proto-Indo-European *leykʷ- (“to leave, leave over”). Cognate with Scots len, lend (“to lend”), West Frisian liene (“to lend, borrow, loan”), Dutch lenen (“to lend, borrow, loan”), Danish låne (“to lend, loan”), Swedish låna (“to lend, loan”), Icelandic lána (“to lend, loan”), Icelandic léna (“to grant”), Latin linquō (“quit, leave, forlet”), Ancient Greek λείπω (leípō, “leave, release”). See also loan.
“But,” says Arthur, “I wouldn't be proud of your clothes, / For you've only the lend of them, as I suppose.”c. 1800s, Arthur McBride, version from 2012, Dick Sheridan, Irish Songs for Ukulele (Songbook), Hal Leonard Corporation
Yesterday asked Mr. Aray the lend of 8s. 6d. for a month.1866, Walkden, Diary, 6
3 more examples
However, Weldon would soon note his declining potato yield, and his suspicions were confirmed one night when he confronted Joe with a jumper full of spuds. Somehow, Joe managed to talk his way out of trouble. 'I told him I was getting the lend of them,' Joe laughed. It wasn't only vegetables that were targeted, though. For generations of children who grew up on ...2008, Ronan Casey, Joe Dolan: The Official Biography, Penguin UK, →ISBN:
Our thanks go to Diran Adebayo for his support, especially his lend of Everything You're Told Is True, to the website. It has been an honour to host […]2010, One Million Stories Creative Writing Project 2009 Anthology, →ISBN, page 10:
“Give these to your dad, Betsy, tell him thanks for the lend of them. I'm leaving next week, Betsy.” “Really, where are you going?” Betsy played dumb.2016, Mary Peters, Betsy, The Coalminer's Daughter, New Generation Publishing, →ISBN:
Etymology From Middle English lende (usually in plural as lendes, leendes, lyndes), from Old English lendenu, lendino (“loins”), plural of Old English lenden (“loin”), from Proto-West Germanic *landī, from Proto-Germanic *landį̄ (“loin”), from Proto-Indo-European *lendʰ- (“loin, kidney”). Cognate with Scots lend, leynd (“the loins, flank, buttocks”), Dutch lendenen (“loins, reins”), German Lenden (“loins”), Swedish länder (“loins”), Danish lænd (“loin”), Icelandic lendar (“loins”), Latin lumbus (“loin”) (whence loin), Polish lędźwie (“loins”), Russian ля́двея (ljádveja, “thigh, haunch”).