Examples of “lien” in a Sentence

noun A legal right to hold or sell someone's property until a debt owed on it is paid off.

• In fact, an 1847 state medical convention in Alambama issued a recommendation that doctors caring for slaves seek liens upon the human chattel if their bills were not paid. — Harriet A. Washington, Southern Discomfort (2008)
• 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.
• The bank has a lien on the farm until the loan is repaid.