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

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

Conjugated Forms

Present

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

Past

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

Future

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

A month away from its closure, onetime gambling oasis Primm, Nev., located along the state border with Southern California, has a new lease on life.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 10, 2026

Applied Digital shares jump after announcing a 15-year lease deal at a new AI campus.

From Barron's • Jun. 9, 2026

“What I fear for is the cashier on South Greeley Highway that’s working at Safeway, that’s going to get priced out as soon as their lease comes up on their rental,” he said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 9, 2026

Even though Mountbatten-Windsor left Royal Lodge earlier this year, moving to Sandringham in Norfolk, he still has the lease on Royal Lodge until October 2026.

From BBC • Jun. 4, 2026

She and my dad ended up signing a one-year lease for two warehouse bays that made up a total of 9,000 square feet.

From "Courage to Soar" by Simone Biles

Related Words

• charter
• hire
• rent out
• sublet