loan

¹

[ lohn ]

noun

1. the act of lending; a grant of the temporary use of something:

   the loan of a book.

2. something lent or furnished on condition of being returned, especially a sum of money lent at interest:

   a $1000 loan at 10 percent interest.

3. loanword ( def ).

verb (used with object)

1. to make a loan of; lend:

   Will you loan me your umbrella?

2. to lend (money) at interest.

verb (used without object)

1. to make a loan or loans; lend.

loan

²

[ lohn ]

noun

, Scot.

1. a country lane; secondary road.
2. an uncultivated plot of farmland, usually used for milking cows.

loan

¹

/ ləʊn; ˈləʊnɪŋ /

noun

1. a lane
2. a place where cows are milked

loan

²

/ ləʊn /

noun

1. the act of lending

   the loan of a car

2. 1. property lent, esp money lent at interest for a period of time
   2. ( as modifier )

      loan holder

3. the adoption by speakers of one language of a form current in another language
4. short for loan word
5. on loan
   1. lent out; borrowed
   2. (esp of personnel) transferred from a regular post to a temporary one elsewhere

verb

1. to lend (something, esp money)

Usage Note

Sometimes mistakenly identified as an Americanism, loan1 as a verb meaning “to lend” has been used in English for nearly 800 years: Nearby villages loaned clothing and other supplies to the flood-ravaged town. The occasional objections to loan as a verb referring to things other than money, are comparatively recent. Loan is standard in all contexts but is perhaps most common in financial ones: The government has loaned money to farmers to purchase seed.

Derived Forms

• ˈloaner, noun
• ˈloanable, adjective

Other Words From

• un·loaned adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of loan¹

First recorded in 1150–1200; Middle English noun lon(e), lan(e), Old English lān, from Old Norse lān; replacing its cognate, Old English lǣn “loan, grant,” cognate with Dutch leen “loan,” German Leh(e)n “fief”; lend

Origin of loan²

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English lane, lone, Old English lane, lane ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of loan¹

Old English lone, variant of lane ¹

Origin of loan²

C13 loon, lan, from Old Norse lān; related to Old English lǣn loan; compare German Lehen fief, Lohn wages

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. on loan,
   1. borrowed for temporary use:

      How many books can I have on loan from the library at one time?

   2. temporarily provided or released by one's regular employer, superior, or owner for use by another:

      Our best actor is on loan to another movie studio for two films.

Example Sentences

Department of Agriculture operates natural disaster relief programs for eligible farmers that aim to help repair damage to farmlands, provide financial assistance or offer emergency loans, depending on their situation.

From Los Angeles Times

Trump is also expected to roll back President Biden’s student loan forgiveness efforts.

From Los Angeles Times

Presidents do not set borrowing costs, though policies their administrations enact can influence the price of a loan.

From Los Angeles Times

"We don't know whether our land prices will fall, what impact that will have on mortgages and loans and where do we stand in the future if we need to expand?" she asked.

From BBC

The maximum maintenance loan for those living away from their parents outside of London, for example, will increase from £10,227 to £10,544 a year.

From BBC

Related Words

• lend
• provide