/ liːs; NAmE / noun , verb
■ noun
a legal agreement that allows you to use a building, a piece of equipment or some land for a period of time, usually in return for rent :
to take out a lease on a house
The lease expires / runs out next year.
Under the terms of the lease , you have to pay maintenance charges.
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IDIOMS
- a (new) lease of life
■ verb
lease sth (from sb) | lease sth (out) (to sb) to use or let sb use sth, especially property or equipment, in exchange for rent or a regular payment
SYN rent :
[ vn ]
They lease the land from a local farmer.
We lease all our computer equipment.
Parts of the building are leased out to tenants.
[also vnn ]
► leas·ing noun [ U ]:
car leasing
a leasing company
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WORD ORIGIN
late Middle English : from Old French lais , leis , from lesser , laissier let, leave, from Latin laxare make loose, from laxus loose, lax.