to lend oneself
- phrasal verb
- /lɛnd wʌnˈsɛlf/
:
prestarse
- I think it would really lend itself to the big screen.
Examples
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It doesn't lend itself to self-expression.
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The terrain around Nenning doesn't lend itself to heavy fights.
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So it lends itself to, like, a little bit more of a creative process.
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And that lends itself to certain encounters.
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Really lends itself to quantum processing.
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Casting and I were reviewing your tapes, and we think we found where your talent can best lend itself.
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My business doesn't exactly lend itself To helping some genius boyfriend of yours.
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But it doesn't lend itself to intimacy.
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It will lend itself to sophisticated publications... that appeal to a sophisticated readership.
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This software really lends itself to improving user experience.
Synonyms
832
2.0
Be relevant to a person, group, or situation
14
5.2
To be good for a particular use or situation
Antonyms
How Suitable
∞
1.8
Surface Forms
Morphology
The sense 'be suitable or applicable' is a metaphorical extension of 'lend' plus the reflexive 'oneself' (something 'gives itself' to a use), so a learner who knows both words can partly infer the idea. However, the specific idiomatic phrasing and reflexive construction that yields 'be suitable for' is not wholly literal or fully predictable without exposure, even though many languages have similar reflexive 'lend' patterns.
Etymology
Lend oneself comes from the simple image of something that seems to offer itself to be used, like a tool that you can easily pick up and use; the parts lend and oneself show this idea of giving or offering. So when something lends itself to an activity, it is 'suitable' or easy to use for that purpose.