noun

lease

lees

noun

A legal agreement letting someone use property, such as a home or car, for a set time in exchange for payment.

"They signed a two-year lease on the apartment."

verb

To rent out property as the owner, or to rent property as the tenant.

"The company leases office space downtown."

"We decided to lease a car instead of buying one."

How to Use Lease

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA rental agreement for property, or the act of renting it out or taking it on rent.

Common mistake

A lease is a formal, often long-term contract — different from a casual short-term rental.

Common pairings

sign a lease lease agreement lease a car break a lease

Word Forms

leased past tense, leased past tense, leased past tense, leases plural, leases plural, Leases plural, leases singular, leases singular, leases singular

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Fill the Gap

Can you complete this real example?

They signed a two-year _____ on the apartment.

Etymology

From Old French lesser/laissier, "to let go" or "to allow," ultimately from Latin laxare, "to loosen" — the same root gives us the English word "lax."

Rhymes for lease

case base mase vase ease tase Jase erase cease phase pease chase

See all rhymes for lease →