cash
1 Americannoun
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money in the form of coins or banknotes, especially that issued by a government.
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money or an equivalent, as a check, paid at the time of making a purchase.
verb (used with object)
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to give or obtain cash for (a check, money order, etc.).
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Cards.
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to win (a trick) by leading an assured winner.
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to lead (an assured winner) in order to win a trick.
He cashed his ace and led the queen.
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verb phrase
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cash in
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to turn in and get cash for (one's chips), as in a gambling casino.
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to end or withdraw from a business agreement; convert one's assets into cash.
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Slang. to die.
After her parents cashed in, she lived with her grandmother.
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cash in on to profit from; use to one's advantage.
swindlers who cash in on the credulity of the public.
idioms
noun
noun
noun
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banknotes and coins, esp in hand or readily available; money or ready money
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immediate payment, in full or part, for goods or services (esp in the phrase cash down )
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(modifier) of, for, or paid by cash
a cash transaction
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a checkout counter
verb
noun
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of cash1
First recorded in 1590–1600; from Middle French casse, from Old Italian cassa, from Latin capsa “(cylindrical) case (for books)”; see also cashier 1
Origin of cash2
First recorded in 1590–1600; from Portuguese caixa, from Tamil kācu the name of a copper coin, from Sanskrit karṣa a weight (of precious metal)
Explanation
Cash is money. If you've got extra cash in your pocket, you can put a dollar in the tip jar when you buy a cup of coffee. When you use the word cash, you usually mean actual paper and coin currency: dollar bills and quarters, for example. People often contrast cash with credit cards or checks, and your favorite diner may have a sign that says "Cash only!" When you cash a check, a bank gives you the written amount in bills and coins. In the late 16th century, cash meant "money box," from the Latin capsa, "box."
Vocabulary lists containing cash
Tax Day Words
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Exemptions, Deductions, and Loopholes: Tax Day Vocabulary
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Century 21 Accounting, 9e, Chapters 4-7
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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.
Guess they have never heard of this thing called CASH.
From New York Times • Feb. 19, 2018
"Whose society is this? Who delayed my first kiss?" asks Merlyn Wood on "CASH."
From The Verge • Dec. 11, 2017
NO CASH: The Blue Devils’ defense will have to manage a half without safety Jeremy Cash, an All-America candidate who drew a targeting ejection during last week’s loss at Virginia.
From Washington Times • Nov. 27, 2015
As a typical American family, that's the astounding total you're now supposed to be holding in CASH.
From Time Magazine Archive
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Close by he saw in a window the sign: "CASH BOY WANTED."
From Making His Way Frank Courtney's Struggle Upward by Alger, Horatio
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.