lien (redirected from Liens)

lien  (ln, ln)

n.

The right to take and hold or sell the property of a debtor as security or payment for a debt or duty.

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[French, tie, bond, from Old French, constraint, from Latin ligmen, bond, from ligre, to bind; see leig- in Indo-European roots.]

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liena·ble adj.

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lien

Noun

Law a right to retain possession of someone else's property until a debt is paid [Latin ligamen bond]

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	lien - the right to take another's property if an obligation is not discharged security interest - any interest in a property that secures the payment of an obligation artisan's lien - lien permitting an artisan to retain possession of a piece of work until has been paid for general lien - a lien on all the property owned by a debtor and not just a specific property judgment lien - lien on a debtor's property that is granted to a creditor by court judgment; lien may be enforced by having the sheriff seize the property and hold a sheriff's sale landlord's lien - lien on a tenant's property for the satisfaction of unpaid rent or property damage; the landlord is given the status of a preferred creditor with regard to the tenant's property mechanic's lien - lien to secure payment for work and materials in erecting or repairing a building or other structure tax lien - lien of which a tax collector may avail himself in default of taxes (analogous to a judgment lien) warehouseman's lien - right of a warehouseman to retain goods until all storage charges have been paid
	2.	lien - a large dark-red oval organ on the left side of the body between the stomach and the diaphragm; produces cells involved in immune responses spleen lymphatic tissue, lymphoid tissue - tissue making up the lymphatic system arteria lienalis, lienal artery, splenic artery - an artery that originates from the celiac trunk and supplies blood to the spleen splenic vein, vena lienalis - a vein formed by several small veins on the surface of the spleen; joins the superior mesenteric to form the portal vein lymphatic system, systema lymphaticum - the interconnected system of spaces and vessels between body tissues and organs by which lymph circulates throughout the body