rent
rent Lexical Profile
rent Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A regular payment made by a tenant to a landlord or owner for the use of land, a building, an apartment, or equipment.
"The monthly rent for the downtown apartment includes utilities and parking."
A large tear, rip, or opening in a piece of fabric or other surface.
"A sudden gust of wind created a wide rent in the canvas sail."
• verb
To pay someone for the temporary use of a house, room, vehicle, or piece of equipment.
"They decided to rent a small cabin by the lake for the summer holidays."
To allow someone to use property, land, or equipment in return for regular payments.
"She plans to rent her spare bedroom to a university student this semester."
• Rhymes for rent
Word Origin & Etymology
The financial sense comes from Old French 'rente' (payment, income), from Vulgar Latin 'rendita', a noun use of the past participle of 'rendere' (to render or give back). The sense meaning a tear or split is a separate word derived from the obsolete noun and verb 'rend' (to tear apart).