Her career got a new lease of life..

Success of Karan Arjun gave a new lease of life to Mamta Kulkarni’s floundering career

Welcome back to yet another step in the journey towards better English speaking.

The phrase we discuss in this post is, “A new lease of life”.

We all know what a lease is – when you take an office or a shop or a flat on rent, you are said to have leased it. A lease of life obviously doesn’t mean taking a life on rent – it essentially means getting renewed vigor and energy. Almost as if something or someone was almost dead and then they got a new life (i.e. energy and vigor and activity) on “lease”. The sense is to convey the idea of something having been rendered pretty lifeless and then something happens which recharges and re-energizes it. Hindi equivalent is – नई जान फूंकना.

Let’s take some examples:

1. After the previous captain had a tiff with the coach, the team was demoralized and dispirited. Then, the coach was fired too. The new coach and captain however, get along very well and are working to a plan. Their relentless hardwork has given a new lease of life to the team.
2. The new manager and his energy gave a new lease of life to the company and very soon, the company again became the darling of the share market.
3. With Mota Vakeel released from the jail last year, the underworld has got a new lease of life.
4. With their resounding win against Australia, India’s campaign to win the world cup has got a new lease of life.

Use this phrase to convey the idea of something regaining its strength after a bad phase. Let’s see some more examples:

1. His quest for better English speaking got a new lease of life when he joined BodhiSutra CLAS on phone. The long practice sessions gave him confidence and accuracy and very soon he was a totally different individual.
2. Terrorist groups have got a new lease of life because of drugs money now being flown into terrorism.