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

Earlier this month, the “Dawson’s Creek” actor announced that he is also auctioning off memorabilia from his personal collection to help pay for his cancer treatments.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

A Titanic passenger’s pocket watch sold for an ice-cold $2.3 million at auction.

Read more on MarketWatch

Debt Management Office is due to auction gilts maturing in March 2031 on Tuesday.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

A Renaissance painting found underneath a garage workbench has sold for more than half a million pounds at an auction house in Banbury.

Read more on BBC

She sold the house to someone else, but under the rules of auctions, Miles still owes her the money.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• sell-off