lien
n. countablen. a legal right to keep someone else's property until they pay a debt they owe you.
n. a legal claim or right over the property of another as security for the payment of a debt or performance of an obligation.
The bank has a lien on the house until the mortgage is paid.
The contractor filed a lien against the building to ensure he would be paid for the renovations he completed.
If the property owner fails to satisfy the outstanding debt, the holder of the lien may eventually seek a court order to sell the asset to recover the funds.
Borrowed from Middle French lien, from Latin ligāmen (“a bond”), from ligō (“tie, bind”).
Borrowed from Latin liēn (“spleen”). Doublet of spleen.
Commonly used with the prepositions 'on' or 'against' regarding the property in question.