ENGLISH
REFERENCE

lease

n. · v.
US //ˈɫis// UK //lˈiːs// lease
  1. 1 legal agreement (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Formal Law

    a legal document or contract that allows you to use something, like an apartment or a car, for a set period of time.

    the formal contract or deed granting exclusive use of real estate or personal property for a limited period.

    Example

    Before moving into the new apartment, we had to sign a two-year lease.

    Example

    The legal team reviewed the commercial lease thoroughly to ensure the maintenance clauses did not unfairly burden the tenant.
  2. 2 time period (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    the length of time that a rental agreement lasts.

    the specific duration or term for which a leasehold interest is granted.

    Example

    The lease on our office building expires at the end of next month.

    Example

    With only six months remaining on the lease, the company began scouting for larger premises in the financial district.
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  1. 3 network address (n.)
    C1 Advanced Technical Computing

    the temporary time a computer is allowed to use a specific internet address.

    the temporary assignment of an IP address to a networked device by a server.

    Example

    The router provides a 24-hour lease for every device that connects to the Wi-Fi.

    Example

    The network administrator shortened the DHCP lease time to ensure that addresses were recycled more frequently in the high-traffic guest lounge.
  2. 4 to rent out (v.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Formal

    to allow someone to use your property in exchange for regular payments.

    to grant a lease as a lessor or landlord; to let property to a tenant.

    Example

    The company decided to lease its extra warehouse space to a local business.

    Example

    The developer intends to lease the ground-floor units to high-end retailers once the structural renovations are complete.
  3. 5 to pay to use (v.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    to pay money so that you can use something like a car or a building for a long time.

    to hold a lease as a lessee or tenant; to take possession of property under a rental contract.

    Example

    Many small businesses prefer to lease their equipment rather than buying it.

    Example

    Rather than purchasing a fleet of vehicles outright, the logistics firm chose to lease them to preserve their liquid capital.
Etymology 1

From Middle English lesen, from Anglo-Norman leser, Old French lesser, laisier (“to let, let go”), partly from Latin laxō (“to loose”) and partly from Old High German lāzan (“to let, let go, release”) (German lassen), cognate with Old English lǣtan (“to allow, let go, leave, rent”) whence let.

Etymology 2

From Middle English lesen, from Old English lesan (“to collect, pick, select, gather”), from Proto-West Germanic lesan, from Proto-Germanic lesaną (“to gather”).

Etymology 3

From Middle English lesen, from Old English lēasian (“to lie, tell lies”), from lēas (“falsehood, lying, untruth, mistake”).

Etymology 4

From Middle English lese, from Old English lǣs (“meadow”), from Proto-West Germanic *lāsu (“meadow”). See also leasow.

Etymology 5

From Middle English lesen, from Old English līesan (“to loosen, release, redeem, deliver, liberate”), from Proto-Germanic *lausijaną (“to release, loosen”).

Etymology 6

From leash.

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