assets

American  

[as-ets] / ˈæs ɛts /

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.

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assets British  

/ 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

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Etymology

Origin of assets

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

Example Sentences

Some investors who fear the Fed could lose its inflation-fighting credibility have poured into assets such as gold as a hedge on the dollar.

From The Wall Street Journal

“No gimmicks — just smart repositioning of assets that creates a lot of flexibility going forward,” he said.

From MarketWatch

Police spokesperson Alabo Alfred said the authorities have "deployed assets" to the affected area to ensure that those abducted are rescued.

From BBC

Those proposals would have required farmers to pay inheritance tax on their assets for the first time in decades, with 100 percent tax relief only available for the first £1 million of property.

From Barron's

Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies were lower on Tuesday amid a period of stagnant trading for digital assets, which have given back major gains in recent months.

From Barron's