What does it mean to hypothecate property?

Hypothecating property means to pledge the property as collateral for a debt. This involves using the property to secure a loan while retaining ownership. In this arrangement, the borrower does not relinquish ownership of the property but agrees that the lender can take possession of it if the borrower defaults on the loan. This is a common practice in financing and lending, as it allows for the borrowing of funds while mitigating the lender's risk.

The other options describe different legal actions: selling property at a public auction involves transferring ownership, transferring ownership permanently denotes a complete change of title, and leasing property for a specified time implies a temporary transfer of usage rights without changing ownership. Thus, the correct answer accurately captures the specific financial arrangement of using property as collateral.