rent

¹

[ rent ]

noun

1. a payment made periodically by a tenant to a landlord in return for the use of land, a building, an apartment, an office, or other property.
2. a payment or series of payments made by a lessee to an owner in return for the use of machinery, equipment, etc.
3. Economics. the excess of the produce or return yielded by a given piece of cultivated land over the cost of production; the yield from a piece of land or real estate.
4. profit or return derived from any differential advantage in production.
5. Obsolete. revenue or income.

verb (used with object)

1. to grant the possession and enjoyment of (property, machinery, etc.) in return for the payment of rent from the tenant or lessee (often followed by out ).
2. to take and hold (property, machinery, etc.) in return for the payment of rent to the landlord or owner.

   Synonyms: lease, let

verb (used without object)

1. to be leased or let for rent:

   This apartment rents cheaply.

2. to lease or let property.
3. to take possession of and use property by paying rent:

   She rents from a friend.

rent

²

[ rent ]

noun

1. an opening made by rending or tearing; slit; fissure.

   Synonyms: fracture, rupture, rip, cleft, rift, split, tear

2. a breach of relations or union between individuals or groups; schism.

   Synonyms: separation, division

verb

1. simple past tense and past participle of rend.

rent

¹

/ rɛnt /

noun

1. a slit or opening made by tearing or rending; tear
2. a breach or division, as in relations

verb

1. the past tense and past participle of rend

rent

²

/ rɛnt /

noun

1. a payment made periodically by a tenant to a landlord or owner for the occupation or use of land, buildings, or by a user for the use of other property, such as a telephone
2. economics
   1. that portion of the national income accruing to owners of land and real property
   2. the return derived from the cultivation of land in excess of production costs
   3. See economic rent
3. for rent
   available for use and occupation subject to the payment of rent

verb

1. tr to grant (a person) the right to use one's property in return for periodic payments
2. tr to occupy or use (property) in return for periodic payments
3. introften foll byat to be let or rented (for a specified rental)

Derived Forms

• ˌrentaˈbility, noun
• ˈrentable, adjective

Other Words From

• renta·bili·ty noun
• renta·ble adjective
• un·renta·ble adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of rent¹

First recorded in 1125–75; Middle English noun rent(e), from Old French from unattested Vulgar Latin rendita, feminine past participle of unattested rendere; verb derivative of the noun; render ¹

Origin of rent²

First recorded in 1325–75 for verb sense; 1525–35 rent ²fordef 1; Middle English; rend

Word History and Origins

Origin of rent¹

C12: from Old French rente revenue, from Vulgar Latin rendere (unattested) to yield; see render

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. for rent, available to be rented, as a home or store:

   an apartment for rent.

Synonym Study

See hire.

Example Sentences

With her husband earning only $38,000 a year at a nearby factory, and rent in nearby apartments costings hundreds of dollars more than they now pay, the stress can be overwhelming.

From Los Angeles Times

The loss of older units like Sanchez’s that make up the majority of apartments in L.A. and fall under the city’s rent stabilization ordinance, which limits annual rent increases and provides a measure of stability.

From Los Angeles Times

Those residents would also typically receive expanded relocation assistance to help them afford rent in a market rate unit for 42 months, the average time it takes to build a new apartment building, according to the city, which estimates payments could surpass $100,000 for such households.

From Los Angeles Times

Current relocation payments top out at $25,700, which can run out quickly when long-term tenants protected by rent stabilization are suddenly forced to pay rent at today’s prices.

From Los Angeles Times

Landlords can also set the rent wherever they want each time a tenant moves out.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• borrow
• charter
• hire
• lease
• sublet