Lend v.²

Pa. t. and pa. pple. lent. Forms: Infin. α. 1 lǽnan, (3rd sing. pres. ind. lǽn(e)þ, lénþ), 2–3 leanen, 3 læne(n, (2nd sing. pres. ind. lenst), 3–4 lenen, 3–6 lene, 3, 7 leane, 4 lyne, 4–5 leen(e, leyn(e. Also Sc. and north. (with short vowel) 4–6 len, lenne, 6 lenn, 8–9 len’, len. β. 3–6 lende, (4 3rd sing. pres. ind. lent), 5 leendyn, 6 lind, 4– lend. Pa. t. α. 2–6 lende, 4 lened(e, 5 land. β. 4, 6 lante, 6 leant, 6–7 lended, 3– lent. Pa. pple. α. 2–3 ilænd, ilend, 3 lenedd, ile(a)net, 3–5 lend, 5 iland, lande, lende. β. 3–5 lant(e, lente, 5 lendid, 5–6 lentt(e, 7 lended, 3– lent. [OE. lǽnan, f. lǽn (see LOAN sb.). The other Teut. langs. have vbs. derived from the sb., but they differ in conjugation from the OE. vb.; cf. OFris. lêna, lênia, Du. leenen, OHG. lêhanôn (MHG. lêhenen, mod.G. lehnen to enfeoff).

  The substitution of lend- for lēn- in the present-stem, which began early in ME., is explained by the fact that the pa. t. lende would regularly correspond either to lēnen or lenden in the infinitive, and the preponderance of analogy (cf. LEND v.¹, also bend, rend, send, wend) was on the side of the latter form. The Sc. and northern form len, lenn(e, owes its shortened vowel to the influence of the pa. t. and pa. pple.]

  1.  trans. To grant the temporary possession of (a thing) on condition or in expectation of the return of the same or its equivalent. Also with second (datival) obj. of the person; hence rarely in indirect passive.

  α.  c. 1000.  Ælfric, Gram., xxiv. (Z.), 135. Læne me ða boc to rædenne.

c. 1200.  [see 1 d α].

a. 1225.  Ancr. R., 248. Þeo ancre þet wernde an oðer a cwaer uorto lenen.

c. 1275.  Lay., 25178. For to bi-ȝeten þin rihtes ich leane þe ten þousend cnihtes.

a. 1300.  Sarmun, in E. E. P. (1862), 3. Þoȝ man hit [i.e., wealth] hab, hit nis noȝt his: hit nis ilend him bot alone fort to libbe is lif.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 15197. Þat he yow wald len sum place, To mak vr mangeri.

c. 1380.  Wyclif, Serm., Sel. Wks. II. 153. Lene þou me þre loves.

c. 1386.  Chaucer, Can. Yeom. Prol. & T., 473. Leene me a marc quod he, but dayes three And at my day I wol it quiten thee.

c. 1400.  Ywaine & Gaw., 737. I sal lene the her mi ring, Bot yelde it me at myne askyng.

1470–85.  Malory, Arthur, XVIII. ix. I wold praye yow to lene me a shelde that were not openly knowen, for myn is wel knowen.

1523.  Ld. Berners, Froiss., I. cccxiv. 481. So the kynge lende or gaue him, I cannat tell wheder, a lx. thousande frankes.

1595.  Duncan, App. Etymol. (E. D. S.), Praesto, to len.

1608.  Vestry Bks. (Surtees), 213. That neyther the Clarke nor Sacriston shall lenn or carrie forthe of the churche any ledders.

1630.  P. Young, in Lett. Lit. Men (Camden), 144. Desire his Worship to leane me Marianus his Chronicon … for the tyme he is in the countrie.

  β.  c. 1330.  R. Brunne, Chron. (1810), 135. Fifty þousand marcs had he lent abbeis Þat wer in pouerte.

1467.  Waterford Arch., in 10th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm., App. V. 304. Women that borowid or lendid any manere of goodes.

c. 1491.  Caxton, Chast. Goddes Chyld., 69. Riches and worshippes ben but lente to man for a tyme to yelde rekeninge of hem how they ben spended.

1573.  Baret, Alv., L 275. To lende one his house to solemnise a mariage in.

1593.  Shaks., 2 Hen. VI., III. i. 77. Is he a Lambe? his Skinne is surely lent him, For hee’s enclin’d as is the Rauenous Wolues.

1653.  Walton, Angler, iv. 95. This minnow I will … if you like it, lend it you, to have two or three made by it.

1718.  Pope, Lett. to Lady M. W. Montagu, 1 Sept. I have … passed part of this summer at an old romantic seat of my Lord Harcourt’s, which he lent me.

1785.  H. Walpole, Lett. H. Mann, 3 Feb. I have very lately been lent a volume of poems.

1840.  Dickens, Barn. Rudge, ii. Lend it me for a moment.

1893.  Sir J. W. Chitty, in Law Times Rep., LXVIII. 429/1. The lease … had been lent … to the plaintiff … for perusal.

  b.  spec. To grant the possession and use of (money) for a fixed charge; to let out at interest.

  α.  a. 900.  Kent. Gloss., in Wr.-Wülcker, 74/34. Fenerator, lenð.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 14033. It was a man quilum was wont Penis for to lene vm-stunt.

c. 1440.  York Myst., xxxii. 354. If it ware youre lekyng, my lorde, for to lene it, xxx pens I wolde ȝe lente on-to me.

a. 1450.  Myrc, 1293. Hast þou I-land any thynge To haue the more wynnynge?

c. 1483.  Caxton, Dialogues, viii. 39. Neuertheles leneth he The pound for thre halfpens.

1502.  Ord. Crysten Men (W. de W., 1506), IV. xxi. 227. I lenne the an hondred crownes.

  β.  a. 1300.  Cursor M., 28404. Agains will i lent my thing, And quilum tok þar-for okeryng.

c. 1440.  Promp. Parv., 296/1. Leendyn, presto, fenero.

1596.  Shaks., Merch. V., I. iii. 123. You cald me dog: and for these curtesies Ile lend you thus much moneyes.

1607.  Middleton, Five Gallants, I. i. Lent the fift day of September to mistresse Onset vpon her gowne … three pound fifteene shillings.

1611.  Bible, Lev. xxv. 37. Thou shalt not … lend him thy victuals for increase.

c. 1648–50.  Brathwait, Barnabees Jrnl., II. (1818), 61. What I spent the miser lended.

1776.  Adam Smith, W. N., II. iv. (1869), I. 353. The stock which is lent at interest is always considered as a capital by the lender.

1818.  Cruise, Digest (ed. 2), IV. 498. All bonds, contracts, and assurances whatsoever, for payment of any principal money to be lent.

  † c.  With cogn. obj. (loan). Obs.

a. 1240.  Sawles Warde, in Cott. Hom., 257. Se riche lane … þat he haueð ileanet him.

c. 1300.  Cursor M., 7506. I had na help bot me allan, And drightin þat me lent his lan.

  d.  absol. or intr. To make a loan or loans.

  α.  1000.  Ags. Gosp., Luke vi. 34. Gyf ʓe lanaþ þam þe ʓe eft æt onfoð hwylc þanc is eow?

c. 1200.  Vices & Virtues, 11. Ðat we sculen bliðeliche ȝiuen and leanen … alle ðe … us for his luue besecheð of ðan ilche gode ðe he us hafð ilænd.

a. 1340.  Hampole, Psalter, xxxvi. 27. All day he has mercy & lennys.

a. 1366[?].  Chaucer, Rom. Rose, 186. That is she that for usure Leneth to many a creature.

c. 1491.  Caxton, Chast. Goddes Chyld., 22. They ben soo harde that neyther thei wyll yeue ne lene.

1500–20.  Dunbar, Poems, xxiii. 4. And with thy nychtbouris glaidly len and borrow.

1572.  Satir. Poems Reform., xxxiii. 24. To borrow and len glaidlie.

  β.  1388.  Wyclif, Exod. xii. 36. The Lord ȝaf grace to the puple bifor Egipcians, that the Egipcians lenten to hem.

1535.  Coverdale, Ps. cxi. 5. Wel is him that is mercifull, & lendeth gladly.

1573.  Baret, Alv., L 276. To lend vpon a bill or an obligacion.

c. 1600.  Shaks., Sonn., iv. 3. Natures bequest giues nothing but doth lend, And being franck she lends to those are free.

1611.  Bible, Prov. xix. 17. Hee that hath pity vpon the poore, lendeth vnto the Lord.

1625.  Bacon, Ess., Of Usury (Arb.), 545. Let there be Certaine Persons licensed to Lend, to knowne Merchants, vpon Vsury at a Higher Rate.

  e.  To lend out (or † forth): = 1, 1 b; now esp. used of lending libraries.

1550.  Crowley, Last Trump., 1118. To lende thy goodes out for vnlawful gayne.

1580.  Extracts Burgh Rec. Edinb. (1882), IV. 183. Nane of the saidis buikis sall be nawayis lentt furth … bot vpon the conditioun [etc.].

1596.  Shaks., Merch. V., I. iii. 45. He lends out money gratis.

1637–8.  in Willis & Clark, Cambridge (1886), I. 120. If he should lend out his Lodgings himselfe.

1681.  R. Knox, Hist. Relat. Ceylon, IV. vii. 149. I perceived a Trade in use among them which was to lend out Corn.

1734.  Berkeley, Lett. to Johnson, 4 April, Wks. 1871, IV. 221. As to lending out the books of your library.

1855.  Browning, Fra Lippo, 307. God uses us to help each other so, Lending our minds out.

1890.  Spectator, 14 June, 817/2. 20,000 books of reference (which are not, of course, to be lent out).

  2.  To give, grant, bestow; to impart, afford. (The obj. usually denotes something that though capable of being bestowed by the subject is not in his possession, or that is viewed as an adventitious or temporary possession or attribute.)

  α.  a. 1000.  Cædmon’s Gen., 2059 (Gr.). Ece drihten eað mihte æt þam spereniðe spede lænan.

c. 1175.  Lamb. Hom., 5. We ahte … þonkien hit ure drihten þe hit us lende. Ibid., 105. Þet mon wisliche spene þa þing þe him god lene on þisse liue to brukene.

  c. 1200.  Ormin, 5159. Affterr þatt little witt tatt me Min Drihhtin hafeþþ lenedd.

c. 1205.  Lay., 228. Þis lond he hire lende. Ibid., 11494. Læn [c. 1275 lean] me Mauric þinne sune Þe is a swiðe wis gume.

a. 1225.  Leg. Kath., 1084. Ȝef he nere soð godd … hu mahte he lenen lif to þe deade?

c. 1340.  Cursor M., 4882 (Fairf.). Lorde lene grace atte hit so be.

a. 1400–50.  Alexander, 3108. With all þe Iolyte & Ioy þat Iubiter vs lenes.

c. 1430.  Hymns Virg., 23. Ihesu, þat me loue hast lende.

c. 1450.  St. Cuthbert (Surtees), 2532. Yit grete God slik grace him len.

a. 1510.  Douglas, K. Hart, 351. Sythen scho ask, no licence to her len.

1538.  Starkey, England, I. iii. 84. The partys in proportyon not agreyng, but havyng of some to many, and of some to few, lene much enormyte.

1598.  Sylvester, Du Bartas, II. ii. II. Babylon, 532. A zeal to len A gainfull pleasure to my Countrymen.

a. 1600.  Montgomerie, Sonn., xliv. 9. Let Mercure language to me len, With Pindar pennis, for to outspring the spheirs.

  β.  a. 1300.  Cursor M., 649. Þe mikel ioy þat þam es lent.

c. 1375.  Lay Folks Mass Bk. (MS. B), 342. My lyue, my lymmes þou has me lent.

c. 1430.  Hymns Virg., 106. He [God] haþ lant þe lyf and liht.

1500–20.  Dunbar, Poems, lxxxiii. 26. Welcum, my benefice, and my rent, And all the lyflett to me lent.

1589.  Greene, Menaphon (Arb.), 40. He rested satisfied with her answere, and therupon lent her a kisse.

1592.  Shaks., Ven. & Ad., 539. Her armes do lend his necke a sweet imbrace. Ibid. (1613), Hen. VIII., III. ii. 151. And euer may your Highnesse yoake together, (As I will lend you cause) my doing well, With my well saying.

1623.  Middleton, Tri. Integrity, Wks. (Bullen), VII. 386. A speaker lends a voice to these following words.

1634.  Milton, Comus, 938. Com Lady while Heaven lends us grace, Let us fly this cursed place.

1760.  Foote, Minor, II. Wks. 1799, I. 269. Your father talks of lending me a lift.

1790.  Burns, Tam Glen, i. Some counsel unto me come len’.

1799.  Campbell, Pleas. Hope, I. 7. ’Tis distance lends enchantment to the view.

1805.  Scott, Last Minstrel, I. ix. And many a flower and many a tear Old Teviot’s maids and matrons lent.

1832.  Tennyson, Lady of Shalott, IV. God in his mercy lend her grace.

1849.  Macaulay, Hist. Eng., v. I. 536. Grey, who … was ready for any undertaking, however desperate, lent his aid.

1871.  R. Ellis, trans. Catullus, xli. 8. A mirror Sure would lend her a soberer reflexion.

1883.  Gilmour, Mongols, xxxi. 362. The Mongols of lower rank lending dignity to their superiors by attending them to and from the palace.

  absol. or intr.  a. 1310.  in Wright, Lyric P., xv. 51. God us lene of ys lyht.

1362.  Langl., P. Pl., A. VII. 210. Loue hem, and lene hem so the lawe of kynde wole.

1387–8.  T. Usk, Test. Love, III. ix. (Skeat), l. 78. I pray to the holy gost, he lene of his oyntmentes, mennes wittes to clere.

c. 1529.  Skelton, E. Rummyng, 131. Wyth all theyr myght runnynge To Elynour Rummynge, To haue of her tunnynge: She leneth them on the same.

  † b.  with acc. and inf. or clause: To grant. Obs. The sense closely resembles that of LEVE v.; in MSS. it is often uncertain whether the word is lene or leue (leve).

c. 1250.  Gen. & Ex., 4159. In swilc ðewes lene us to cumen.

c. 1340.  Cursor M., 27820 (Cotton Galba). God len vs to forgif man kyn.

c. 1374.  Chaucer, Troylus, V. 1750 (Harl. MS.). God lene vs for to take it for the beste. Ibid. (c. 1385), L. G. W., 2083, Ariadne. God … lene [v.rr. leen, leue] me neuere swich a cas be-falle … And leue [v.rr. leve, leen, lyve, lene] here aftyr that I may ȝow fynde … so kynde.

a. 1500[?].  How Merchande dyd Wyfe betray, 215, in Hazl., E. P. P., I. 206. Were sche dedd (god lene hyt wolde!).

  † c.  To hold out (a hand) to be taken. Obs.

c. 1386.  Chaucer, Knt.’s T., 2224. Lene me youre hond, for this is oure accord.

1588.  Shaks., Tit. A., III. i. 188. Lend me thy hand, and I will giue thee mine. Ibid. (1601), All’s Well, V. iii. 340. Your gentle hands lend vs, and take our hearts. Ibid. (1611), Wint. T. IV. iii. 71. Lend me thy hand, Ile helpe thee.

  d.  To lend an ear or one’s ears: to listen, pay attention; often with qualifying adj. † To lend a deaf ear: to refuse to listen. † Also to lend audience, hearing.

c. 1375.  Sc. Leg. Saints, xxx. (Theodora), 92. Þane wald scho … til hym len a def ere ay.

1580.  Sidney, Ps. XXII. ii. O God … to my plaint thou hast not audience lent.

1583.  Stubbes, Anat. Abus., II. (1882), 6. The sweeter the Syren singeth, the dangerouser is it to lend hir our eares.

1597.  Shaks., Lover’s Compl., 278. Lending soft audience to my sweet designe. Ibid. (1601), Jul. C., III. ii. 78. Ibid. (1602), Ham., I. v. 5. Lend thy serious hearing To what I shall vnfold.

1671.  Milton, P. R., IV. 272. To sage Philosophy next lend thine ear.

1777.  Watson, Philip II. (1793), I. ix. 351. The King … lent a deaf ear to all the representations that were made to him.

1843.  Mrs. Carlyle, Lett., I. 266. A song about Adam that John should lend all his ears to.

1848.  W. H. Kelly, trans. L. Blanc’s Hist. Ten Y., I. 136. Charles X. … lent a cold ear to the … reports brought him by the general.

1863.  Geo. Eliot, Romola, xxi. The young king seemed to lend a willing ear.

  e.  To afford the use or support of (a part of the body); esp. in to lend a hand (or a helping hand), to render assistance, assist, help.

1598.  Florio, Ep. Ded. 4. The retainer doth some seruice, that now and then … lendes a hande ouer a stile.

1602.  Marston, Antonio’s Rev., II. i. Wks. 1856, I. 91. Too squemish to … lend a hand to an ignoble act.

1603.  Shaks., Meas. for M., V. i. 447. Sweet Isabel, doe yet but kneele by me … Oh Isabel; will you not lend a knee? Ibid. (1608), Per., V. i. 264. Sir, lend me your arme.

1632.  Massinger, City Madam, I. ii. I’ll lend a helping hand To raise your fortunes.

1694.  Motteux, Rabelais, IV. xx. (1737), 85. Lend ’s a Hand here.

1763.  Foote, Mayor of G., I. Wks. 1799, I. 168. Thinking that this would prove a busy day … I am come … to lend you a hand.

1809.  Malkin, Gil Blas, I. xiii. ¶ 2. Lend a helping hand.

1813.  Shelley, Q. Mab, V. 206. Without a shudder, the slave-soldier lends His arm to murderous deeds.

1816.  J. Wilson, City of Plague, II. iii. I could not sleep If I had lent a hand to rob a church.

1894.  Baring-Gould, Kitty Alone, II. 175. Lend me your arm, said Pepperill.

  f.  To give or deal (a blow). Now dial.

c. 1460.  Towneley Myst., xxii. 136. A swap fayn, if I durst, wold I lene the this tyde.

a. 1550.  Christis Kirke Gr., xiv. With forks and flails thay lent grit flappis.

1591.  Greene, Art Conny Catch., II. (1592), 25. The women … among whom he leant some lustie buffets.

1598.  Grenewey, Tacitus’ Ann., II. i. (1622), 154. A blow which the Tribune lent her.

1612.  Drayton, Poly-olb., II. 281. Vpon the head hee lent so violent a stroke That the poor emptie skull like some thin potsheard broke.

1783.  Fielding, Quix. Eng., III. xiv. If thou dost any more, I shall lend thee a knock.

1790.  Mrs. Wheeler, Westmld. Dial. (1821), 67. Tom gat up and lent a girt drive at Sam.

1833.  L. Ritchie, Wand. by Loire, 140. [She] lent him such a slap upon the face as made the wood ring again!

  g.  To spend (one’s energies), devote (one’s strength) to. rare.

1697.  Dryden, Æneid, VII. 534. [They] lend their little Souls at ev’ry Stroke [L. dant animos plagae].

1809–12.  Mar. Edgeworth, Absentee, xiii. (1893), 221. Plying the whip, and lending his very soul at every lash.

1878.  H. M. Stanley, Dark Cont., II. xiii. 367. A man who could thus lend every fibre of his body to mere work.

  3.  refl. To accommodate or adapt oneself to. Of things: To admit of being applied to a purpose or subjected to a certain treatment.

1854.  S. Brooks, Aspen Crt., I. ix. 122. She wore a plain blue cloth dress, which lent itself to her exquisite figure.

1874.  Micklethwaite, Mod. Par. Churches, 227. None lends itself better to architectural purposes.

1874.  Carpenter, Ment. Phys., I. vi. § 3 (1879), 308. Playing on the credulity of such as lent themselves to his clever deceptions.

1879.  Froude, Cæsar, xii. 150. Cæsar neither then nor ever lent himself to popular excesses.

1885.  Manch. Exam., 3 Nov., 5/1. He loves Ireland too well to lend himself to such a policy.