Definition

1. Noun:

   • A sum of money or property that is borrowed and expected to be repaid, often with interest: The core meaning refers to the act of lending or the item (typically money) that is lent.
   • A word or phrase adopted from one language into another: In linguistics, a "loan" is a word borrowed from another language and incorporated into the vocabulary of the receiving language.

2. Verb:

   • To lend something, especially money, to someone for temporary use: The action of giving something to someone with the expectation of its return.

Usage Examples

• Noun (Money/Property):
  • She took out a loan to buy a new car.
  • The bank approved a small business loan.
• Noun (Linguistics):
  • The English word "café" is a loan from French.
  • "Kindergarten" is a German loan in English.
• Verb:
  • Could you loan me your pen for a moment?
  • The library loans books to members for two weeks.

Advanced Usage

• "On loan": Temporarily borrowed or assigned from one place or person to another.
  • The museum has a famous painting on loan from a private collector.
  • He is at our branch on loan from the head office for six months.
• "Loan word" (or "loanword"): A word adopted from a foreign language with little or no modification.
  • "Sushi" is a Japanese loanword in English.

Variants and Related Words

• Loaner (noun): A person who lends something, or an item (like a car) provided as a temporary replacement.
  • The dealership gave me a loaner while my car was being repaired.
• Loanable (adjective): Available for lending.
  • The bank's loanable funds have increased.
• Loanword (noun): The specific term for a borrowed word in linguistics.

Synonyms

• Noun (Money): Advance, credit, mortgage.
• Verb: Lend, advance, grant.

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Loan out: To lend something, especially as a regular practice.
  • The library loans out thousands of books each month.

Related Idioms

• Take out a loan: To arrange to borrow money from a bank or other lender.
  • They had to take out a loan to cover the medical expenses.
• Pay off a loan: To repay a loan in full.
  • It took them ten years to pay off their student loans.

Noun

1. a word borrowed from another language; e.g. `blitz' is a German word borrowed into modern English
2. the temporary provision of money (usually at interest)

Verb

1. give temporarily; let have for a limited time
   • I will lend you my car
   • loan me some money