Lease: to grant the temporary possession or use of (lands, tenements, etc.) to another, usually for compensation at a fixed rate; let: She plans to lease her apartment to a friend.
source:
www.dictionary.com
It's only one of the definitions, but clearly the word is used any time an item is lent for monetary compensation which includes the broader application of long-term lease contracts.
Here's the true English meaning:
"A contract by which one party conveys land, property, services, etc. to another for a specified time, in return for payment."
Source: Oxford Dictionary askoxford.com
- so clearly the original English definition is exactly what I said, and how it's used in the UK and Australia. The alternative definitions in American dictionaries, I would contend differ, and are unnecessarily confusing/ambiguous.