lent

[ lent ]
/ lɛnt /

verb

simple past tense and past participle of lend.

OTHER WORDS FROM lent

un·lent, adjective well-lent, adjective

Definition for lent (2 of 4)

Lent
[ lent ]
/ lɛnt /

noun

(in the Christian religion) an annual season of fasting and penitence in preparation for Easter, beginning on Ash Wednesday and lasting 40 weekdays to Easter, observed by Roman Catholic, Anglican, and certain other churches.

Origin of Lent

before 1000; Middle English lente(n), Old English lencten, lengten spring, Lent, literally, lengthening (of daylight hours); cognate with Dutch lente, German Lenz spring; see Lenten

OTHER WORDS FROM Lent

post-Lent, adjective

Definition for lent (3 of 4)

lend
[ lend ]
/ lɛnd /

verb (used with object), lent, lend·ing.

to grant the use of (something) on condition that it or its equivalent will be returned.
to give (money) on condition that it is returned and that interest is paid for its temporary use.
to give or contribute obligingly or helpfully: to lend one's aid to a cause.
to adapt (oneself or itself) to something: The building should lend itself to inexpensive remodeling.
to furnish or impart: Distance lends enchantment to the view.

verb (used without object), lent, lend·ing.

to make a loan.

Origin of lend

before 900; Middle English lenden, variant (orig. past tense) of lenen, Old English lǣnan (cognate with Dutch lenen, German lehnen, Old Norse lāna), derivative of lǣn loan; cognate with German Lehnen, Old Norse lān. See loan1

OTHER WORDS FROM lend

lend·er, noun in·ter·lend, verb, in·ter·lent, in·ter·lend·ing. o·ver·lend, verb, o·ver·lent, o·ver·lend·ing. re·lend, verb (used with object), re·lent, re·lend·ing.

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH lend

borrow lend loan

Definition for lent (4 of 4)

-lent

a suffix occurring in loanwords from Latin, variant of -ulent: pestilent.

Example sentences from the Web for lent

British Dictionary definitions for lent (1 of 3)

lent
/ (lɛnt) /

verb

the past tense and past participle of lend

British Dictionary definitions for lent (2 of 3)

Lent
/ (lɛnt) /

noun

Christianity the period of forty weekdays lasting from Ash Wednesday to Holy Saturday, observed as a time of penance and fasting commemorating Jesus' fasting in the wilderness
(modifier) falling within or associated with the season before Easter Lent observance
(plural) (at Cambridge University) Lent term boat races

Word Origin for Lent

Old English lencten, lengten spring, literally: lengthening (of hours of daylight)

British Dictionary definitions for lent (3 of 3)

lend
/ (lɛnd) /

verb lends, lending or lent (lɛnt)

Derived forms of lend

lender, noun

Word Origin for lend

C15 lende (originally the past tense), from Old English lǣnan, from lǣn loan 1; related to Icelandic lāna, Old High German lēhanōn

Cultural definitions for lent

Lent

In Christianity, a time of fasting and repentance in the spring, beginning on Ash Wednesday and ending several weeks later on Easter.

notes for Lent

To “give something up for Lent” is to abandon a pleasurable habit as an act of devotion and self-discipline.