noun
lien
leen
noun
1
A legal right to hold or sell someone's property until a debt owed on it is paid off.
"The contractor placed a lien on the house after the owner missed payments."
"Buyers should always check for an existing lien before purchasing a used car."
How to Use Lien
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA legal claim on property that lets a creditor get paid before the owner can freely sell it.
Common mistake
Don't confuse with "lean" (to tilt) or "lean" (not fat) — all sound alike but are unrelated.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
place a lien
lien on the property
release a lien
Word Forms
liens plural, lienes plural
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The contractor placed a _____ on the house after the owner missed payments.
Etymology
Borrowed from Middle French lien ("bond, tie"), from Latin ligare, "to bind" — the same root as ligament.