The Collaborative International Dictionary
Lend \Lend\ (l[e^]nd), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Lent (l[e^]nt); p. pr. & vb. n. Lending.] [OE. lenen, AS. l[=ae]nan, fr. l[=ae]n loan; akin to G. lehnen to lend. See Loan.]
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To allow the custody and use of, on condition of the return of the same; to grant the temporary use of; as, to lend a book; -- opposed to borrow.
Give me that ring. I'll lend it thee, my dear, but have no power To give it from me.
--Shak. -
To allow the possession and use of, on condition of the return of an equivalent in kind; as, to lend money or some article of food.
Thou shalt not give him thy money upon usury, nor lend him thy victuals for increase.
--Levit. xxv. 37. -
To afford; to grant or furnish in general; as, to lend assistance; to lend one's name or influence.
Cato, lend me for a while thy patience.
--Addison.Mountain lines and distant horizons lend space and largeness to his compositions.
--J. A. Symonds. -
To let for hire or compensation; as, to lend a horse or gig.
Note: This use of the word is rare in the United States, except with reference to money.
To lend a hand, to give assistance; to help. [Colloq.]
To lend one's ears or To lend an ear, to give attention.
Usage examples of "to lend an ear".
Watching him, as he contrived, while displaying over and over again from the edification of little Philip the magical properties of his repeating watch, to lend an ear to the particular problem exercising Leigh's mind, Mrs.
Thou and thy companion are my champions, and it would be churlish of me indeed not to lend an ear to thee.
Once or twice Jos had been on the point of saying something very important to her, to which she was most willing to lend an ear, but the fat fellow could not be brought to unbosom himself of his great secret, and very much to his sister’.
Already the others had begun to lend an ear to this encouragement and were coming a little to themselves, when the same voice broke out again -- not this time singing, but in a faint distant hail that echoed yet fainter among the clefts of the Spy-glass.
It seemed as though she had always been around, sitting in her gloomy corner, always ready to lend an ear, to sort out a problem, or just to swap gossip about everyone and everything.
Across the street, the dark figure that seemed to glide across the snow beckoned for them to lend an ear.