sale

American  

[seyl] / seɪl /

noun

1. the act of selling. sell. selling.

2. a quantity sold. sell. sold.

3. opportunity to sell; demand.

   slow sale.

4. a special disposal of goods, as at reduced prices.

5. transfer of property for money or credit.

6. an auction.

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idioms

1. on sale, able to be bought at reduced prices.

2. for sale, offered to be sold; made available to purchasers.

sale ¹ British  

/ seɪl /

noun

1. the exchange of goods, property, or services for an agreed sum of money or credit

2. the amount sold

3. the opportunity to sell; market

   there was no sale for luxuries

4. the rate of selling or being sold

   a slow sale of synthetic fabrics

5. 1. an event at which goods are sold at reduced prices, usually to clear old stocks

   2. ( as modifier )

      sale bargains

6. an auction

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Sale ² British  

/ seɪl /

noun

1. a town in NW England, in Trafford unitary authority, Greater Manchester: a residential suburb of Manchester. Pop: 55 234 (2001)

2. a city in SE Australia, in SE Victoria: centre of an agricultural region. Pop: 12 854 (2001)

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Salé ³ British  

/ sale /

noun

1. a port in NW Morocco, on the Atlantic adjoining Rabat. Pop: 880 000 (2003)

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sale More Idioms  

1. see close the sale; on sale; white sale.

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Other Word Forms

• intersale noun
• nonsale noun
• subsale noun

Etymology

Origin of sale

First recorded before 1050; Middle English; late Old English sala; cognate with Old Norse, Old High German sala; sell ¹

Example Sentences

Her baskets are generally not for sale because she only makes them for family and friends, she said.

From Los Angeles Times

Rather than shrink in embarrassment, the singer poked fun at himself on his Instagram story with a caption that read: “Estaba en especial”/”It was on sale.”

From Los Angeles Times

Since then, prices have stabilized, and sales have been split relatively even between owner-users and investors.

From Los Angeles Times

That valuation comes despite two consecutive years of electric-vehicle sales declines.

From Barron's

Tesco said it expects to land in the higher end of its profit guidance for fiscal 2026, after reporting a rise in sales for the third quarter and Christmas period.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• auction
• business
• buying
• deal
• demand
• marketing
• purchase
• reduction
• selling
• trade
• transaction