Rent
Pronunciation
- enPR: rĕnt, IPA: /rɛnt/
- Rhymes: -ɛnt
Origin 1
Old French rente, from Vulgar Latin rendere ("to render").
Full definition of rent
Noun
rent
(plural rents)- A payment made by a tenant at intervals in order to occupy a property.
- 1918, W. B. Maxwell, The Mirror and the Lamp Chapter 17, This time was most dreadful for Lilian. Thrown on her own resources and almost penniless, she maintained herself and paid the rent of a wretched room near the hospital by working as a charwoman, sempstress, anything.
- A similar payment for the use of equipment or a service.
- (economics) A profit from possession of a valuable right, as a restricted license to engage in a trade or business.A New York city taxicab license earns more than $10,000 a year in rent.
- An object for which rent is charged or paid.
- (obsolete) income; revenue
- GowerBacchus a waster was and all his rent
In wine and bordel he dispent. - Alexander PopeSo bought an annual rent or two,
And liv'd, just as you see I do.
Derived terms
Verb
- (transitive) To occupy premises in exchange for rent.
- (transitive) To grant occupation in return for rent.
- (transitive) To obtain or have temporary possession of an object (e.g. a movie) in exchange for money.
- (intransitive) To be leased or let for rent.The house rents for five hundred dollars a month.
Origin 2
Middle English renten ("to tear"). Variant form of renden.
Noun
rent
(plural rents)Verb
rentrent
(past of rend)