loan

Meanings

Noun

• An act or instance of lending, an act or instance of granting something for temporary use.
• A sum of money or other property that a natural or legal person borrows from another with the condition that it be returned or repaid over time or at a later date (sometimes with interest).
• The contract and array of legal or ethical obligations surrounding a loan.
• The permission to borrow any item.
• A lonnen.

Verb

• To lend (something) to (someone).

Related

Narrower meaning words

• mutuum, commodatum

Broader meaning words

• bailment

Origin

• From Middle English lone, lane, from Old Norse lán, from Proto-Germanic *laihną, from Proto-Indo-European *leykʷ- ("to leave (over)").
• Cognate with Icelandic lán, Swedish lån, Danish lån, German Lehen ("fief"), Dutch leen ("fief"), West Frisian lien, North Frisian leen ("fief; loan; office"), Scots lane, lain, len, Old English lǣn. More at lend.
• See lawn.