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Synonyms

auction

American  
[awk-shuhn] / ˈɔk ʃən /

noun

  1. Also called public sale.  a publicly held sale at which property or goods are sold to the highest bidder.

  2. Cards.

    1. auction bridge.

    2. (in bridge or certain other games) the competitive bidding to fix a contract that a player or players undertake to fulfill.

verb (used with object)

  1. to sell by auction (often followed byoff ).

    He auctioned off his furniture.
auction British  
/ ˈɔːkʃən /

noun

  1. a public sale of goods or property, esp one in which prospective purchasers bid against each other until the highest price is reached Compare Dutch auction

  2. the competitive calls made in bridge and other games before play begins, undertaking to win a given number of tricks if a certain suit is trumps

  3. See auction bridge

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

  1. to sell by auction

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • auctionable adjective
  • auctionary adjective
  • proauction adjective
  • unauctioned adjective

Etymology

Origin of auction

1585–95; < Latin auctiōn- (stem of auctiō ) an increase, especially in the bidding at a sale, equivalent to auct ( us ) increased, past participle of augēre ( aug- increase + -tus past participle suffix) + -iōn- -ion

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The White House proposal would involve an emergency auction within the country’s biggest power market.

From The Wall Street Journal

Unpersuaded, Warner in October announced a strategic review, effectively setting up an auction.

From The Wall Street Journal

Discovery Chief David Zaslav for ending the auction, the Ellisons and their team began plotting their comeback on that crisp December day.

From Los Angeles Times

A handwritten letter penned by Queen Elizabeth II as a child has been sold at auction for £25,000.

From BBC

The property company was at the time the local real estate representative of the renowned UK-based auction house Christie's.

From BBC

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.