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📕 rednote ID(小红书号)：3881567312

Lend Meaning, Usage and Examples (2 meaning)

Meaning 1：let someone use something (lend)

lend 🔊

/lɛnd/

to let someone use something of yours, like money or an object, for a period of time, expecting it to be returned.

Student lending a textbook to another student in classroom

let someone use something 🔊

➕

/lɛt ˈsʌmwʌn juːz ˈsʌmθɪŋ/

To allow someone to have or use something (such as money or an object) temporarily, with the expectation that it will be returned.

📁 Category：Behaviors & Actions 🔖 Level：beginner

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

From Old English 'lǣnan', related to 'lǣn' meaning 'loan' or 'gift', with Proto-Germanic root *laihnijanan.

💡 Mnemonic

Think 'lend' sounds like 'land'—you lend something and it eventually returns to your land.

📖 Example

Can you lend me your umbrella? It looks like it's about to rain. 🔊 Can you lend me your umbrella? It looks like it's about to rain.

🔗 Collocations

lend money to someone – to provide money to someone that must be repaid

lend a hand – to help someone with a task

lend someone an ear – to listen to someone carefully

🔄 Synonyms

loan (v.) – to give something to someone temporarily, usually money

provide (v.) – to supply something for someone's use

grant (v.) – to give permission or allow use of something

🚫 Antonyms

borrow (v.) – to take something from someone with the intention of returning it

keep (v.) – to retain possession of something

withhold (v.) – to refuse to give or allow

🌱 Derivatives

lender (n.) – a person or institution that lends money or objects

lending (n.) – the act of providing something temporarily

📖 Cultural Story

In Old English, 'lænan' meant 'to grant temporarily'. The word has been used in financial contexts since the 12th century, and metaphorically (e.g., 'lend an ear') since the 14th century.

Meaning 2：give a quality to something (lend)

lend 🔊

/lɛnd/

to add a particular quality or feature to something, making it better, more believable, or more enjoyable.

Sunset lending beauty and serenity to a calm lake scene

give a quality to something 🔊

➕

/gɪv ə ˈkwɒləti tuː ˈsʌmθɪŋ/

To add a particular quality or feature to something, making it better, more believable, or more enjoyable.

📁 Category：Behaviors & Actions 🔖 Level：intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Example

The soft music really lends a relaxing atmosphere to the café. 🔊 The soft music really lends a relaxing atmosphere to the café.

🔗 Collocations

lend support to – to provide help or approval to something

lend credibility to – to make something seem more believable or trustworthy

lend a sense of – to give a particular feeling or atmosphere

🔄 Synonyms

impart (v.) – to give a quality or feeling to something

add (v.) – to put something extra to improve or complete it

contribute (v.) – to give something (such as quality) to a whole

🚫 Antonyms

remove (v.) – to take away a quality or feature

detract (v.) – to reduce the value or quality of something