lease
lease — noun
- leasesingular
- leasesplural
1. a written contract that gives someone the right to use a house, a piece of land,
a written contract that gives someone the right to use a house, a piece of land, a car, or equipment for a set period by paying the owner regularly
Christopher signed the lease for his first apartment after weeks of searching.
sign the lease for [property]
The lease on the shop clearly states that the landlord must fix any broken pipes.
Eli read every line of the lease before he agreed to move into the flat.
When the lease ends, Nila plans to negotiate a lower monthly rent.
The lease forbids tenants from making any changes to the walls without permission.
- rental agreement
more general; can be less formal than a lease
- tenancy agreement
specifically for residential property; common in British English
- contract
broader; not specific to property use
文法句型
lease + on + [property]
sign + lease
用法筆記
A lease is a formal document, so verbs like sign, draw up, renew, and break are commonly used with this sense. The preposition on often follows lease to name the property (the lease on the house).
常見錯誤
2. a house, building, or piece of land that someone is living in or using under a l
a house, building, or piece of land that someone is living in or using under a lease contract, rather than owning it
The building on Maple Avenue is a lease held by the dental clinic.
a lease held by [organization]
Emre manages over twenty commercial leases across three different cities.
The company added four new vehicle leases to its delivery fleet last spring.
Cole runs his restaurant from a long-term lease near the harbour.
- rental property
less formal; commonly used for houses and apartments
- leased asset
used in business or accounting contexts for equipment or vehicles
文法句型
[number] + lease + of + [property type]
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1: sense 1 refers to the document itself (the lease agreement), while sense 2 refers to the actual property or asset being used under that document.
3. an expression meaning a positive change that makes someone or something feel fre
an expression meaning a positive change that makes someone or something feel fresh and energetic again, as if starting a new and better life
The morning walks gave Grandfather a new lease of life after his illness.
give + [sb] + a new lease of life
Government funding gave the old theatre a new lease of life as an arts centre.
Learning to play the piano brought Sana a new lease of life in her retirement.
Repair work gave the ancient stone bridge a new lease of life for another century.
- new energy
literal; not an idiom, less vivid
- fresh start
similar meaning but not specific to energy or vitality
- revitalisation
more formal; used for places and institutions
文法句型
give + [sb/sth] + a new lease of life
用法筆記
This idiom is always singular and typically follows give or bring. In American English, the more common form is a new lease on life.
常見錯誤
lease — verb
- leasepresent simple I / you / we / they
- leases3rd person singular
- leasing-ing form
- leasedpast simple
1. to enter into a legal contract allowing someone to use a house, piece of land, c
to enter into a legal contract allowing someone to use a house, piece of land, car, or equipment for a fixed time in return for payment — this can mean either the owner lets someone use it, or the user pays to use it
The company leases cars to customers for trips as short as one day.
lease + [sth] + to + [sb] — granting use as owner
Indra leased a small workshop near the station for her pottery business.
lease + [property] + for + [purpose]
The school leases laptops from a local supplier during exam week every year.
The farm is leased to a young family who grow vegetables on it.
Lucía decided to lease the photocopier rather than spend money buying one.
文法句型
lease + [property] + to + [person]
lease + [property] + from + [person]
lease + out + [property]
用法筆記
Lease can describe either side of the arrangement. Use lease + to when the owner is the subject (the landlord leases the flat to the tenant). Use lease + from when the user is the subject (the tenant leases the flat from the landlord). The collocation lease out emphasises the owner's action more clearly.