lease 1 /'lēs/ n [Anglo-French les, from lesser to grant by lease, from Old French laisser to let go, from Latin laxare to loosen, from laxus slack]
1 a: a contract by which an owner of property conveys exclusive possession, control, use, or enjoyment of it for a specified rent and a specified term after which the property reverts to the owner; also: the act of such conveyance or the term for which it is made see also sublease compare easement, license; security interest at interest 1, tenancy
◇ Article 2A of the Uniform Commercial Code, which governs leases where adopted, defines lease as “a transfer of the right to possession and use of goods for a term in return for consideration.”
build·ing lease: ground lease in this entry
consumer lease: a lease made by a lessor regularly engaged in the selling or leasing of a product to a lessee who is leasing the product primarily for his or her personal or household use
finance lease: a lease in which the lessor acquires goods from a supplier in accordance with the specifications of the lessee
◇ Under section 2A-103 of the Uniform Commercial Code, before the lessor signs the lease or the lease becomes effective, the lessee must receive or approve of a copy of the contract by which the goods were acquired or must receive a statement of terms (as warranties, disclaimers, and liquidated damages) relating to the contract or notification of where such information can be obtained.
ground lease: a lease of land usu. for a long term in consideration of the payment of rent and with the agreement that the lessee build or improve a structure on the land – called also building lease;
mineral lease: a lease granting the right to work a mine and extract the minerals or other valuable deposits from it under prescribed conditions (as of time, price, or royalties) – called also mining lease;
net lease: a lease requiring the lessee to assume all operation expenses (as for maintenance, insurance, and taxes) in addition to the payment of rent
operating lease: a lease of property and esp. equipment for a term which is shorter than the property's useful life and in which the lessor is responsible for certain expenses (as taxes)
per·pet·u·al lease /pər-'pe-chu̇-wəl-/: a lease renewable forever at the lessee's option
proprietary lease: a lease used to convey to a member of a cooperative the exclusive possession of a residential unit
true lease: a lease that resembles a security agreement but retains the attributes of a lease
b: property and esp. real property that is leased
2 in the civil law of Louisiana: a contract by which a person provides labor or services for a price
lease 2 vb leased, leas·ing
vt
1: to grant by lease to another
lease s mopeds to tourists
2: to hold under a lease
a company leasing a fleet of cars for its executives
vi
1: to be under a lease or subject to a lease
the vacation house lease s for $500 a week
2: to grant property by a lease
have leased to students in the past
Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary of Law. Merriam-Webster. 1996.