fire sale

noun

1. a special sale of merchandise actually or supposedly damaged by fire.
2. a sale, as of assets, at reduced prices, in order to raise money quickly.

fire sale

noun

1. a sale of goods at reduced prices after a fire at a shop or factory
2. 1. any instance of offering goods or assets at greatly reduced prices to ensure a quick sale
   2. ( as modifier )

      fire-sale prices

Other Words From

• fire-sale adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of fire sale¹

An Americanism dating back to 1890–95

Example Sentences

The Nationals’ deadline fire sale unfolded in a matter of days.

From Washington Post

The Phillies’ and the Braves’ surges are also the result of their organizations’ commitment at the trade deadline and show just how much team-building is possible there — assuming that someone like the Nationals decides to throw a fire sale.

From FiveThirtyEight

Older brands are continuing to stumble, and repo men are preparing for the almost certain fire sale.

From Digiday

With a particularly wide divide this season between the league’s haves and have-nots — the New York Jets are winless and 12 other teams have one or two victories each — there are many candidates for trade-deadline fire sales.

From Washington Post

The New York Post yesterday provided an update on the sale process, writing that AT&T is pressing ahead with an auction even though it is "shaping up to be a fire sale."

From Ars Technica

Eventually, the fire sale extended to his personal belongings—including a $20 enamel teapot.

From The Daily Beast

The two papers were sold twice more—for ever-dwindling fire-sale prices—in the two years that followed.

From The Daily Beast

Cerberus is now going to have to dump Freedom Group at a fire-sale price.

From The Daily Beast

You mean, to be in the room with the President of the United States is now on fire sale for $100?

From The Daily Beast

As the fabled magazine faces a fire sale, the Pulitzer Prize winning editor faces criticism for "absentee" management.

From The Daily Beast

About th' time Hogan got th' flower-pot, th' fire-sale ads an' th' Rooshyan outrage news both stopped in th' newspa-apers.

From Project Gutenberg

When bidding don't get excited and think you're attending an auction of shirt-waists at a fire-sale.

From Project Gutenberg

Number tens alone, whether one pair or more, I wot not, represented their gigantic fire sale.

From Project Gutenberg

If others had fires he was on hand to buy the salvage, and whether he bought it or not he managed to have a "Fire Sale."

From Project Gutenberg

A few days later there was a fire sale by one of the merchants, and I got the job of ringing the auction bell.

From Project Gutenberg