Meaning
To allow to be used by someone temporarily, on condition that it or its equivalent will be returned.
Etymology
Origin: Old English
From earlier len (with excrescent -d, as in sound), from Middle English lenen, lænen, from Old English lǣnan (“to lend; give, grant, lease”), from Proto-West Germanic *laihnijan, from Proto-Germanic *laihnijaną (“to loan”), from Proto-Germanic *laihną (“loan”), from Proto-Indo-European *leykʷ- (“to leave, leave over”). Cognate with Scots len, lend (“to lend”), West Frisian liene (“to lend, borrow, loan”), Dutch lenen (“to lend, borrow, loan”), Danish låne (“to lend, loan”), Swedish låna (“to lend, loan”), Icelandic lána (“to lend, loan”), Icelandic léna (“to grant”), Latin linquō (“quit, leave, forlet”), Ancient Greek λείπω (leípō, “leave, release”). See also loan.
Synonyms & Antonyms
NYT Puzzle Appearances
Accepted in 16 recorded puzzles:
- 2026-09-04DAELNYZ
- 2026-08-02NACDEHL
- 2026-06-02LDEIMNW
- 2026-03-11NWDTLEO
- 2026-02-13LDENOUV
- 2025-11-01LAMEDHN
- 2025-10-29LCDEINU
- 2025-09-09NBELMDO
- 2025-07-26LCOEDNW
- 2025-02-03NDVIELY
- 2024-11-12NDEILMW
- 2024-06-01NDLFEGU
+4 earlier appearances in the archive.