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lend

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verb

/lend/

present tense
I/you/we/they	lend
he/she/it	lends
present participle	lending
past tense	lent
past participle	lent

Other entries for this word

Related dictionary definitions

1
[transitive] to give someone something for a short time, expecting that they will give it back to you later. If you lend someone something, they borrow it from you
The local library will lend books for a month without charge.
lend someone something:
She lent me her very expensive coat.
lend something to someone:
Joe lent this car to us for the weekend.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of lend
1. a.
  [intransitive/transitive] to give someone money that you expect them to pay back later
  Can you lend me £10?
  Banks are willing to lend large amounts of money to people starting up businesses.
  Thesaurus entry for this meaning of lend
See also borrow
2
[transitive] to give something a particular quality
lend something to something:
The secrecy lent an air of intrigue to their planning.
lend something something:
The smile lent his face a certain boyish charm.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of lend
3
[transitive] to give someone support or help
lend (your) support:
Aid agencies lend support to refugees by providing blankets and food.
lend (your) assistance:
Then Max arrived to lend his assistance.
lend a (helping) hand:
Patricia is someone who is always ready to lend a helping hand (=help people).
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of lend

phrases

lend an ear (to)
to listen to someone, especially someone who is upset
Just lend a sympathetic ear while she tells you her problems.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of lend
lend credence/plausibility/weight to something
to make an opinion or idea seem more correct
An in-house study has lent credence to the complaints of poor and impersonal service.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of lend
lend itself to something
to be suitable for a particular purpose
Watercolour lends itself well to reproduction.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of lend
lend your name to something
if someone, especially a famous person, lends their name to an organization or business, they publicly support it and allow their name to be connected with it
There are around 100 charities to which Princess Diana lent her name.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of lend

This is the British English definition of lend. View American English definition of lend.

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View the pronunciation for lend.

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