lease

¹ American  

[lees] / lis /

noun

1. 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.

2. the property leased.

3. the period of time for which a lease is made.

   a five-year lease.

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verb (used with object)

leases, present (3rd person singular) leased, past participle, past leasing present participle

1. to grant the temporary possession or use of (lands, tenements, etc.) to another, usually for compensation at a fixed rate; let.

   She plans to lease her apartment to a friend.

2. to take or hold by lease.

   He leased the farm from the sheriff.

   Synonyms:

   hire, charter, rent

verb (used without object)

leases, present (3rd person singular) leased, past participle, past leasing present participle

1. to grant a lease; let or rent.

   to lease at a lower rental.

idioms

1. a new lease on life, a chance to improve one's situation or to live longer or more happily.

   Plastic surgery gave him a new lease on life.

lease ² American  

[lees] / lis /

noun

Textiles.

1. a system for keeping the warp in position and under control by alternately crossing the warp yarn over and under the lease rods.

2. the order of drawing in the warp ends.

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lease ¹ British  

/ liːs /

noun

1. a contract by which property is conveyed to a person for a specified period, usually for rent

2. the instrument by which such property is conveyed

3. the period of time for which it is conveyed

4. a prospect of renewed health, happiness, etc

   a new lease of life

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verb

1. to grant possession of (land, buildings, etc) by lease

2. to take a lease of (property); hold under a lease

lease ² British  

/ liːz /

noun

1. dialect open pasture or common

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lease Cultural  

1. A contract that grants possession of property for a specified period of time in return for some kind of compensation.

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lease More Idioms  

1. see new lease on life.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• unleasable
  adjective
• leaseless
  adjective
• leaser
  noun
• leasable
  adjective
• well-leased
  adjective
• unleased
  adjective

Conjugated Forms

Present

• has leased
  perfect 3rd person singular
• have leased
  perfect
• am leasing
  progressive 1st person singular
• are leasing
  progressive
• is leasing
  progressive 3rd person singular
• has been leasing
  perfect progressive 3rd person singular
• have been leasing
  perfect progressive
• leasing
  participle
• leases
  singular 3rd person

Past

• had leased
  perfect
• had been leasing
  perfect progressive
• were leasing
  progressive plural
• was leasing
  progressive singular
• leased
  simple
• leased
  participle

Future

• will lease
  simple
• will have leased
  perfect
• will be leasing
  progressive
• will have been leasing
  perfect progressive

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.

Example Sentences

Lease documents show that the then Duke of York took on the tenancy of East Lodge in February 1998, paying an initial £3,500 annual rent to the Crown Estate.

From BBC • Mar. 3, 2026

Lease agreements typically include a mileage limit, so exceeding it results in an excess mileage charge, according to Consumer Reports.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 4, 2026

"You're gonna think I'm just saying it because she's sat next to me but it was genuinely Lizzie's speech after Roubaix," says Wolff, who competes for the Visma Lease a Bike team.

From BBC • Jun. 7, 2025

Access to those updates will be provided by American Lease, a Bronx, N.Y., business that leases Uber and Lyft cars.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 11, 2024

Lease, lēs, n. a contract letting a house, farm, &c. for a term of years: the duration or term of tenure: any tenure.—v.t. to let for a term of years:—pr.p. leas′ing; pa.t. and pa.p. leased.—adjs.

From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 2 of 4: E-M) by Various

Related Words

• charter
• hire
• rent out
• sublet