BORROW, LEND

BORROW, LEND

If you borrow something that belongs to someone else, you take it, usually with their permission. You intend to return it some time in the future.

1. Early the next morning he borrowed his hostess’s car.
2. Jeremy had to borrow a cloth from the barman.
3. Father, I need to borrow five thousand dollars.

If you lend something you own to someone else, you allow them to have it or use it for a period of time. The past tense and past participle of lend is lent. Lend is often followed by two objects.

4. Betty lent him some blankets.
5. He had lent Tim the money.
6. I’d be grateful if you wouldn’t lend them to students.

Both borrow and lend can be used without objects, especially when you are talking about money.

7. So the poor had to borrow from the rich.
8. Banks will not lend to them.

Other words

The noun related to lend is loan.

9. The government had to make a further loan of £3.3m to save the industry.

The verb loan has a similar meaning to lend. Loan is used mainly in American English.

10. I’ll loan you fifty dollars.