loan
B2Formal and informal, common in business and everyday contexts.
Definition
Meaning
A sum of money borrowed, usually with an agreement to repay it with interest.
Something given or provided for temporary use with the expectation of its return.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
As a verb, 'loan' (to lend) is established but sometimes considered less formal than 'lend' in British English. The noun can refer to non-financial items.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In British English, the verb 'lend' is often preferred over 'loan' for the action. 'Loan' as a verb is more common and fully accepted in American English.
Connotations
Generally neutral, but can carry negative connotations if referring to debt. In library contexts, it is purely procedural.
Frequency
The noun is high frequency in both varieties. The verb is significantly more frequent in AmE.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
N: take out a loanV: loan sb sth / loan sth to sbVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “On loan (temporarily borrowed or transferred)”
- “Call in a loan (demand repayment)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to commercial lending, bonds, and inter-company financing.
Academic
Used in economics, finance, and library science (e.g., inter-library loan).
Everyday
Commonly used for personal finance (car loan, home loan).
Technical
In linguistics, a 'loanword' is a word adopted from another language.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The library will lend you books for four weeks.
- Can you lend me a tenner until Friday?
American English
- The bank agreed to loan him the money for his startup.
- Could you loan me your truck this weekend?
adjective
British English
- He works in the loan department at the bank.
- The library's loan period is three weeks.
American English
- They were reviewing her loan application.
- The loan officer called with an update.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I need a loan to buy a new bicycle.
- She took a book on loan from the library.
- They took out a loan to renovate their kitchen.
- The museum has the painting on loan from France.
- The terms of the business loan were quite favourable, with a low interest rate.
- He was hesitant to loan his classic car to anyone.
- The government's loan guarantees helped stabilise the failing industry.
- Her research critiques the predatory practices of high-interest payday loan companies.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a LOAN as something you 'own' only after you've paid it back in full.
Conceptual Metaphor
MONEY IS A FLUID (flow of credit), A COMMODITY (that can be transferred), or A BURDEN (debt).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct translation of 'credit' for all contexts; 'loan' is more specific. 'Loan' as a verb ≠ 'занимать' (to borrow) but 'одалживать' (to lend).
Common Mistakes
- Using 'borrow' and 'lend/loan' interchangeably. *'Can you loan me your pen?' is correct in AmE but often corrected to 'lend' in BrE.
Practice
Quiz
In which sentence is 'loan' used correctly as a verb in formal British English?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
In American English, yes. In British English, 'Can you lend me some money?' is more common and often considered more standard, though 'loan' is understood.
A mortgage is a specific type of loan used to purchase real estate, where the property itself serves as collateral for the loan.
It means something is temporarily borrowed or transferred, not permanently given. E.g., 'The footballer is on loan from Chelsea.'
Yes. You can have a loan of a book, a painting in a museum, or even a player in sports. The core idea is temporary use with an expectation of return.
Collections
Part of a collection
Economics Terms
B2 · 50 words · Key vocabulary for economics and financial systems.
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