auction

[awk-shuhn]

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

/ 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

verb

1. to sell by auction

Other Word Forms

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of auction¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of auction¹

C16: from Latin auctiō an increasing, from augēre to increase

Example Sentences

The Hospices has vineyard holdings all over Burgundy, and a wine auction held there each November raises funds for a variety of charitable causes, including the town’s modern hospital.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

Some of the advertising industry’s largest players have joined forces to propose new standards for transparency in the digital auctions that increasingly dominate ad sales.

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It isn’t clear whether Occidental auctioned the chemicals business or negotiated solely with Berkshire.

Read more on Barron's

A single failed auction in 1637, however, burst the world’s first recorded speculative bubble and painfully reminded investors that all the bulbs could really do was grow flowers.

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A bike saddle also owned by Einstein did not sell at the auction and may be re-listed.

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Related Words

• sell-off