assets

[as-ets]

plural noun

1. Finance.,  items or resources owned by a person, business, or government, as cash, notes and accounts receivable, securities, inventories, goodwill, fixtures, machinery, or real estate (liabilities ).

   Infrastructure assets, such as telecommunications systems, are not as available or as reliable in developing countries.

   Depreciation applies only to tangible assets, which are the assets that exist in physical form, like vehicles, computers, etc.

2. Accounting.,  the items detailed on a balance sheet, especially in relation to liabilities and capital.

   The balance sheet lists assets and liabilities in order of liquidity; in other words, the assets most easily converted to cash are listed first.

3. Law.,  all property available for the payment of debts for a bankrupt or insolvent business or person, or the payment of legacies or debts for a deceased person.

   It is the job of the receiver to sell your assets and distribute the proceeds to your creditors.

4. Informal.,  parts of a person’s body seen as sexual or attractive, especially a woman’s breasts or buttocks.

   That slinky, shiny outfit really shows off her assets.

assets

/ ˈæsɛts /

plural noun

1. accounting the property and claims against debtors that a business enterprise may apply to discharge its liabilities. Assets may be fixed, current, liquid, or intangible and are shown balanced against liabilities Compare liabilities

2. law the property available to an executor or administrator for settlement of the debts and payment of legacies of the estate of a deceased or insolvent person

3. any property owned by a person or firm

Word History and Origins

Origin of assets¹

First recorded in 1300–50, for a previous sense; in phrase have assets “have enough (to pay obligations)”; asset ( def. )

Word History and Origins

Origin of assets¹

C16 (in the sense: enough to discharge one's liabilities): via Anglo-French from Old French asez enough, from Vulgar Latin ad satis (unattested), from Latin ad up to + satis enough

Example Sentences

Investors have turned to safe haven assets like gold during previous US government shutdowns.

From BBC

Bailout money is likely to be invested in “market-moving purchases that push up the value of assets and local currency,” and hedge funds and vulture capitalists “will see a windfall.”

From Salon

The accords include so-called safety zones to be established around operations and assets that countries build on the Moon.

From BBC

Following events in Manchester, the Prime Minister said additional police "assets" would be deployed to synagogues across the UK.

From BBC

Sir Keir, who is flying back early from the European Political Community gathering in Copenhagen, Denmark, said "additional police assets" would be deployed at synagogues across the country.

From BBC