A lien is a legal right to keep something that belongs to a person who owes you money, until the debt is paid. You do not become the owner; you only hold the thing, like a lock on a door.

A lien lien is a legal right是一種法律上的權利 to keep something可以扣住某樣東西 that belongs to a person who owes you money這樣東西屬於欠你錢的人 until the debt is paid直到債還清為止 You你 do not become the owner不會變成那樣東西的所有人 you只是 only hold the thing扣著它 like a lock on a door就像門上的一把鎖

A garage may have a lien on a car until the repair bill is paid; a bank may have a lien on a house until the loan is paid; a builder may have one on a building. It is courtroom and contract English, not a word for the dinner table — though actually ordinary people meet it when they buy a house, or when a shop will not give work back.

A garage修車廠 may have a lien on a car可能對一輛車有lien until the repair bill is paid直到修車費付清為止 a bank銀行 may have a lien on a house可能對一間房子有lien until the loan is paid直到貸款還清為止 a builder建商 may have one on a building也可能對一棟建築有lien It它 is courtroom and contract English是法庭和合約上用的英文 not a word for the dinner table不是餐桌上會聊到的字 though actually不過其實 ordinary people一般人 meet it會遇到這個字 when they buy a house當他們買房子的時候 or when a shop will not give work back或店家不肯把東西還回來的時候

The thing still belongs to the person who owes the money; the lien is only the right to keep it (and sometimes, if the money never comes, to sell it). It is not stealing, and it is not a gift.

The thing這樣東西 still belongs to the person who owes the money還是屬於欠錢的那個人 the lien lien is only the right to keep it只是扣住它的權利 and sometimes而有時候 if the money never comes如果錢一直沒還 to sell it還可以把它賣掉 It它 is not stealing不是偷竊 and而 it它 is not a gift也不是送禮