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lent

12 dictionary results for: Lent

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

lent

[lent] Pronunciation Key

–verb

pt. and pp. of lend.

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

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Lent

[lent] Pronunciation Key

–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: bef. 1000; ME lente(n), OE lencten, lengten spring, Lent, lit., lengthening (of daylight hours); c. D lente, G Lenz spring; see Lenten

]

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

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lend

[lend] Pronunciation Key verb, lent, lend·ing.

–verb (used with object)

1.	to grant the use of (something) on condition that it or its equivalent will be returned.

2.	to give (money) on condition that it is returned and that interest is paid for its temporary use.

3.	to give or contribute obligingly or helpfully: to lend one's aid to a cause.

4.	to adapt (oneself or itself) to something: The building should lend itself to inexpensive remodeling.

5.	to furnish or impart: Distance lends enchantment to the view.

–verb (used without object)

6.	to make a loan.

—Idiom

7.	lend a hand, to give help; aid: If everyone lends a hand, we can have dinner ready in half an hour.

[Origin: bef. 900; ME lenden, var. (orig. past tense) of lenen, OE lǣnan (c. D lenen, G lehnen, ON lāna), deriv. of lǣn loan; c. G Lehnen, ON lān. See loan¹

]

—Related forms

lender, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

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American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

lend   (lěnd) Pronunciation Key
v.   lent (lěnt), lend·ing, lends

v.   tr.

1. To give or allow the use of temporarily on the condition that the same or its equivalent will be returned.
2. To provide (money) temporarily on condition that the amount borrowed be returned, usually with an interest fee.
To contribute or impart: Books and a fireplace lent a feeling of warmth to the room.
To accommodate or offer (itself) to; be suitable for: The Bible lends itself to various interpretations.

v. intr.
To make a loan. See Usage Note at loan.

[Middle English lenden, alteration of lenen (on the model of such verbs as senden, to send, whose past participle sent rhymed with lent, past participle of lenen), from Old English lǣnan; see leik^w- in Indo-European roots.]

lend'er n.

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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
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lent (lěnt) Pronunciation Key
v. Past tense and past participle of lend.

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Lent (lěnt) Pronunciation Key
n. The 40 weekdays from Ash Wednesday until Easter observed by Christians as a season of fasting and penitence in preparation for Easter.

[Middle English lenten, lente, spring, Lent, from Old English lencten; see del-¹ in Indo-European roots.]

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Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
Lent

short for Lenten, from O.E. lencten "spring," the season, from W.Gmc. *langa-tinaz (cf. O.S. lentin, M.Du. lenten, O.H.G. lengizin manoth), from *lanngaz (root of O.E. lang "long") + *tina-, a root meaning "day" (cf. Goth. sin-teins "daily"), cognate with O.C.S. dini, Lith. diena, L. dies "day." the compound probably refers to the increasing daylight. Church sense of "period between Ash Wednesday and Easter" is peculiar to Eng.

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WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This

lent
noun
a period of 40 weekdays from Ash Wednesday to Holy Saturday

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American Heritage New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition - Cite This Source - Share This
Lent

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

Note: To ®Äúgive something up for Lent®Äù is to abandon a pleasurable habit as an act of devotion and self-discipline.

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Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Lent

Lent\ (l[e^]nt), imp. & p. p. of Lend.

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Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Lent

Lent\, n. [OE. lente, lenten, leynte, AS. lengten, lencten, spring, lent, akin to D. lente, OHG. lenzin, langiz, G. lenz, and perh. fr. AS. lang long, E. long, because at this season of the year the days lengthen.] (Eccl.) A fast of forty days, beginning with Ash Wednesday and continuing till Easter, observed by some Christian churches as commemorative of the fast of our Savior.

Lent lily (Bot.), the daffodil; -- so named from its blossoming in spring.

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Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Lent

Lent\, a. [L. lentus; akin to lenis soft, mild: cf. F. lent. See Lenient.]

1. Slow; mild; gentle; as, lenter heats. [Obs.] --B. Jonson.

2. (Mus.) See Lento.

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