lend
gb/lˈɛnd/ us/lˈɛnd/
A2
English
~ 2800
Senses
0 senses
Verb
A2
action
1
Give temporarily for return
To give something to someone for a short time and expect to get it back.
Usage pattern:
to lend [something] to [someone]
Common mistake:
Learners often confuse 'lend' and 'borrow'. Remember: you lend to someone, you borrow from someone.
Synonyms
loan (Often used as a noun or verb in financial contexts; 'lend' is more general and less formal.)
Antonyms
borrow (The opposite perspective—taking something temporarily instead of giving it.)
Collocations
lend money
|lend a hand
|lend support
|lend assistance
|lend equipment
Themes
daily life
|business
|daily_life
|finance
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- I can lend you my umbrella until the rain stops.
- She lent her car to her brother for the weekend.
- The bank lent them money to buy a house.
- Could you lend me a pen for a moment?
- He lent his neighbor a ladder to fix the roof.
Learner examples
- I will lend you my book.
- Can you lend me your phone?
- She lent me her bag.
- Please lend me a pencil.
- He will lend his bike to his friend.
Verb
B1
action
2
Give help or support
To give help or make something possible.
Usage pattern:
to lend [someone] [support/help]
Common mistake:
Learners may mistakenly use 'lend' here only for physical objects; it can also apply to abstract things like 'support' or 'credibility'.
Synonyms
offer (General term for making help available, not always implying temporary nature.)
Antonyms
withhold (To refuse to give support or help.)
Collocations
lend support
|lend assistance
|lend credibility
|lend strength
Themes
daily life
|emotions
|core_vocabulary
|work
Examples
- She lent her support to the charity event.
- His experience lends credibility to the project.
- The volunteers lent their time to help the community.
- The teacher lent her expertise to the research team.
Learner examples
- He lent his help to the team.
- She lent her time to help us.
- They lent support to the plan.
- Her words lent hope to the group.
Verb
B2
action
3
Add a quality or feature
To give something a special quality or feeling.
Usage pattern:
to lend [something] [a quality/feeling]
Common mistake:
Some learners confuse this with literal lending; here it is figurative—qualities are not returned.
Synonyms
add (General term for increasing by inclusion, without implying temporary nature.)
Antonyms
detract (To take away from the quality or value of something.)
Collocations
lend charm
|lend elegance
|lend atmosphere
Themes
arts
|description
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The candles lent a romantic atmosphere to the dinner.
- Her confident manner lent authority to her speech.
- The old oak tree lends character to the garden.
Learner examples
- Flowers lend beauty to the room.
- His smile lends warmth to the meeting.
- The lights lend color to the show.
Grammar
Dictionary form
lend
IPA
GB/lˈɛnd/
US/lˈɛnd/
Syllables & stress
lend (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (lend)
Word forms
Verb
- Base: lend
- 3rd Person Singular: lends
- Present Participle: lending
- Past: lent
- Past Participle: lent
Word family
Forms
lends
verb
lending
verb
lent
verb
Related words
borrower
noun B1
Highlights
- Irregular past: lent Verb
- Irregular past participle: lent Verb
Expressions
lend a hand
1/lˈɛnd ə hˈænd/
idiom
Help someone physically or practically
To help someone do something, especially physical work.
Examples
- Could you lend a hand with these boxes?
- She always lends a hand when we need extra help.
lend itself to
1/lˈɛnd ɪtsˈɛlf tə/
phrasal verb
Be suitable for use in something
To be good or right for a certain purpose.
Examples
- This topic lends itself to group discussion.
- The design lends itself well to small spaces.
lend weight to
1/lˈɛnd wˈeɪt tə/
fixed phrase
formal
Make an idea more convincing
To make an opinion or idea seem stronger or more believable.
Examples
- The new data lends weight to our theory.
- His testimony lent weight to the defense's case.