Definition

Noun: - A system for supplying war materials: "Lease-lend" refers specifically to the program by which the United States supplied Allied nations with food, oil, and military equipment during World War II before formally entering the war, with payment deferred or arranged through special terms.

Usage

"Lease-lend" is a historical term, almost exclusively used to describe the U.S. program of aid to its allies (particularly Great Britain, the Soviet Union, and China) from 1941 to 1945. It is a formal term found in historical and political discussions.

Examples

• Noun:
  • The lease-lend program was vital to Britain's survival during the early years of the war.
  • Historians debate the economic and political impact of American lease-lend aid to the Soviet Union.

Advanced Usage

• "under lease-lend": receiving aid via this specific program.
  • Many tanks and aircraft were delivered to the Allies under lease-lend agreements.

Variants and Related Words

• Lend-lease (noun): This is the more common and official term for the same program. "Lease-lend" and "lend-lease" are used interchangeably.
  • The Lend-Lease Act was passed by the U.S. Congress in 1941.

Synonyms

• Military aid: Assistance in the form of military equipment and supplies.
• War aid: General term for assistance provided during a war.

Notes on Meaning

This term has a single, highly specific historical meaning related to U.S. policy in World War II. It is not used in a general commercial or modern context.

Noun

1. the transfer of goods and services to an ally to aid in a common cause
   • lend-lease during World War II was extremely generous