lehnen

See also: Lehnen

German

Etymology

From a merger of two interrelated verbs: 1.) (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Middle High German linen, lenen, from (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Old High German hlinēn, from (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Proto-Germanic *hlinjaną; and 2.) Middle High German leinen, from Old High German hleinen, from Proto-Germanic *hlainijaną, a causative of the former. The merger occurred in Central and Low German dialects, in which -ei- and open-syllable -i-, -e- all become > -ē- ((deprecated template usage) [etyl] Middle Low German lēnen). Some Upper German dialects retain a distinction between transitive and intransitive forms to this day. Cognate with Dutch leunen, English lean.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈleːnən/, [ˈleːnn̩]

• Audio:

  (file)

Verb

1. (intransitive or reflexive) to lean
2. (transitive) to lean something

Derived terms

• ablehnen
• anlehnen
• hinauslehnen

Further reading

• “lehnen” in Duden online