lease
1 Americannoun
-
a contract renting land, buildings, etc., to another; a contract or instrument conveying property to another for a specified period or for a period determinable at the will of either lessor or lessee in consideration of rent or other compensation.
-
the property leased.
-
the period of time for which a lease is made.
a five-year lease.
verb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
idioms
noun
-
a system for keeping the warp in position and under control by alternately crossing the warp yarn over and under the lease rods.
-
the order of drawing in the warp ends.
noun
-
a contract by which property is conveyed to a person for a specified period, usually for rent
-
the instrument by which such property is conveyed
-
the period of time for which it is conveyed
-
a prospect of renewed health, happiness, etc
a new lease of life
verb
-
to grant possession of (land, buildings, etc) by lease
-
to take a lease of (property); hold under a lease
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
-
leaselessadjective
-
unleasableadjective
-
unleasedadjective
-
leasableadjective
-
leasernoun
-
well-leasedadjective
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
have leasedperfect
-
has leasedperfect 3rd person singular
-
has been leasingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
-
have been leasingperfect progressive
-
am leasingprogressive 1st person singular
-
leasingparticiple
-
are leasingprogressive
-
leasessingular 3rd person
-
is leasingprogressive 3rd person singular
Past
-
had leasedperfect
-
were leasingprogressive plural
-
leasedsimple
-
was leasingprogressive singular
-
leasedparticiple
-
had been leasingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of lease1
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English les, from Anglo-French les, Old French lais, leis, noun derivative of lesser “to lease,” literally, “let go,” ultimately from Latin laxāre to release; see also lax
Origin of lease2
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English lese “length or coil of thread,” variant of lesh leash
Explanation
To lease something is to borrow it in exchange for money. If you lease a car from a dealer, for example, you make payments and you get to drive the car, but at the end of the contract you have to give it back. As a noun, a lease is both the thing you are contracting to rent (the car itself is a lease) and the contract spelling out the terms of use — in other words, a rental agreement. Be sure to check the fine print on your apartment lease to avoid any unpleasant surprises when you move out — like owing money for painting over that hideous wallpaper in the living room.
Vocabulary lists containing lease
Sonnet 18
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
"The Tragedy of Macbeth," Vocabulary from Act 4
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
This Week in Words: Current Events Vocab for October 16–October 22, 2021
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
A takeover by Vodafone would replace TalkTalk’s very fragile balance sheet with Vodafone’s solid one and reduce the risk of non-payment of lease fees to Openreach, they add.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 10, 2026
The Department of Homeland Security secured a 20-year, $26.5-million lease from a subsidiary of the Beverly Hills-based Elmwood Capital Group, a real estate investment firm.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 10, 2026
Enfield Council sought to evict Toby Carvery over what it described as serious breaches of its lease, claiming the tree was felled without the council's knowledge or consent.
From BBC • Jun. 10, 2026
Debt and lease liabilities rose 68% in the last quarter to $162 billion, and the company has another $261 billion in lease liabilities that hadn’t commenced as of February.
From Barron's • Jun. 10, 2026
He made arrangements for the sale of his office equipment, broke his lease, and settled the matter of refunds to clients very simply by saying, “Let ’em sue me.”
From "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" by Betty Smith
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
