Obs. Forms: pl. 1 lendenu, lændenu, lendu, 3 lendin, Orm. lendess, 3–4 lenden, 4–5 lendes, -is, -ys, leendes, lyndes, 6 leyndis, 7– lends. sing. 3–5 lend(e, 4–5 leend(e, 5–6 lind. [OE. *lęnden (only in pl. lęndenu) OFris. lenden fem., OS. lendi- (in lendibrêda kidney), MDu. lendene fem. (Du. lende fem.), OHG. lentin fem. (MHG. lende, OHG. lende), ON. lend, pl. lendir (Sw. länd, Da. lend, lænd); the OTeut. form is perh. *landwinjâ:—Pre-Teut. *londhw- whence L. lumbus (whence ultimately LOIN), OSl. lędvija. An ablaut var. is ON. lundir loins.] Chiefly pl. The loins; also, the buttocks.
c. 975. Rushw. Gosp., Matt. iii. 4. [Iohannes] hæfde hræʓl of olbendena herum & fellen gyrdels ymb his lendu [Ags. Gosp. lendenu, Hatton lændene].
a. 1100. Voc., in Wr.-Wülcker, 292/13. Lumbos, lændenu.
c. 1200. Ormin, 4772. And cnes, & fet, & shannkess, & lende, & lesske.
a. 1300. Christ on Cross, 9, in E. E. P. (1862), 20. His lendin so hangiþ as cold as marbre stone.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 22074. Right sua þe deuil sal descend, in anticrist moder lend.
13[?]. Gaw. & Gr. Knt., 139. His lyndes & his lymes so longe & so grete.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Miller’s T., 51. A barm-cloth Vp on hir lendes, ful of many a goore.
c. 1440. Gesta Rom., xxxii. 126 (Harl. MS.). Gurdiþe youre lendys in chastite.
1508. Kennedie, Flyting w. Dunbar, 45. Lat him lay sax leichis on thy lendis.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, XII. ii. 90. And with thar holl luyffis gan thame cheir, Did clap and straik thare leyndis to mak thame stere.
a. 1550. Christis Kirke Gr., vi. He lap quhill he lay on his lendis.
b. attrib., as lend-bone.
c. 1000. Ælfric, Gloss., in Wr.-Wülcker, 159/23. Sacra spina, lendenban neoþeweard.
c. 1220. Bestiary, 360. Oc leiȝeð his skinbon on oðres lendbon.
