lease

Meanings

Verb

• To gather.
• To pick, select, pick out; to pick up.
• To glean.
• To glean, gather up leavings.
• To tell lies; tell lies about; slander; calumniate.
• To release; let go; unloose.
• To operate or live in some property or land through purchasing a long-term contract (or leasehold) from the owner (or freeholder).
• To take or hold by lease.
• To grant a lease; to let or rent.

Noun

• An open pasture or common.
• A contract granting use or occupation of property during a specified period in exchange for a specified rent.
• The period of such a contract.
• A leasehold.
• The place at which the warp-threads cross on a loom.

Origin

• From Middle English lesen, from Old English lesan, from Proto-Germanic *lesaną.
• From Middle English lesen, from Old English lēasian, from lēas.
• From Middle English lese, from Old English lǣs, from Proto-West Germanic *lāsu. See also leasow.
• From Middle English lesen, from Old English līesan, from Proto-Germanic *lausijaną.
• From Middle English *lesen, from Anglo-Norman *leser, Old French lesser, laisier, partly from Latin laxō ("to loose") and partly from Old High German lāzan (German lassen), cognate with Old English lǣtan whence let.
• From leash.