To give something temporarily to someone with the understanding that they will return it; or to add a quality or characteristic to something.
From Old English 'lænan' meaning to lend or loan, related to 'loan.' The verb has meant both the transfer of property and the transfer of qualities since medieval times.
Banks were originally called 'lending institutions' because lending is what transformed medieval merchants into bankers—credit allowed commerce to explode, which is why lending has shaped all of civilization.
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