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• cash
  cash

  noun

  money in the form of coins or banknotes, especially that issued by a government.
• Cash
  Cash

  noun

  John Johnny, 1932–2003, U.S. country-and-western singer, musician, and composer.

cash

¹ American  

[kash] / kæʃ /

noun

1. money in the form of coins or banknotes, especially that issued by a government.

2. money or an equivalent, as a check, paid at the time of making a purchase.

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verb (used with object)

1. to give or obtain cash for (a check, money order, etc.).

2. Cards.

   1. to win (a trick) by leading an assured winner.

   2. to lead (an assured winner) in order to win a trick.

      He cashed his ace and led the queen.

verb phrase

1. cash in

   1. to turn in and get cash for (one's chips), as in a gambling casino.

   2. to end or withdraw from a business agreement; convert one's assets into cash.

   3. Slang. to die.

      After her parents cashed in, she lived with her grandmother.

2. cash in on to profit from; use to one's advantage.

   swindlers who cash in on the credulity of the public.

idioms

1. cash in one's chips, to die.

cash ² American  

[kash] / kæʃ /

noun

cash plural

1. any of several low-denomination coins of China, India, and the East Indies, especially a Chinese copper coin.

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Cash ³ American  

[kash] / kæʃ /

noun

1. John Johnny, 1932–2003, U.S. country-and-western singer, musician, and composer.

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cash ¹ British  

/ kæʃ /

noun

1. banknotes and coins, esp in hand or readily available; money or ready money

2. immediate payment, in full or part, for goods or services (esp in the phrase cash down )

3. (modifier) of, for, or paid by cash

   a cash transaction

4. a checkout counter

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verb

1. (tr) to obtain or pay ready money for

   to cash a cheque

Cash ² British  

/ kæʃ /

noun

1. Johnny. 1932–2003, US country-and-western singer, guitarist, and songwriter. His recordings include the hits "I Walk the Line" (1956), "Ring of Fire" (1963), "A Boy named Sue" (1969), and the American Recordings series of albums (1994–2003)

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cash ³ British  

/ kæʃ /

noun

1. any of various Chinese, Indonesian, or Indian coins of low value

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cash More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing cash

• cold cash

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• cashability
  noun
• cashableness
  noun
• cashable
  adjective
• uncashed
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• cash
  plural

Etymology

Origin of cash¹

First recorded in 1590–1600; from Middle French casse, from Old Italian cassa, from Latin capsa “(cylindrical) case (for books)”; see also cashier ¹

Origin of cash²

First recorded in 1590–1600; from Portuguese caixa, from Tamil kācu the name of a copper coin, from Sanskrit karṣa a weight (of precious metal)

Explanation

Cash is money. If you've got extra cash in your pocket, you can put a dollar in the tip jar when you buy a cup of coffee. When you use the word cash, you usually mean actual paper and coin currency: dollar bills and quarters, for example. People often contrast cash with credit cards or checks, and your favorite diner may have a sign that says "Cash only!" When you cash a check, a bank gives you the written amount in bills and coins. In the late 16th century, cash meant "money box," from the Latin capsa, "box."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

cash Cash

European pharmaceutical company Argenx is acquiring Nasdaq-listed Forte for $77 a share in cash, the companies said Monday.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 27, 2026

But an estimated 70% of Peruvian employment is in the informal economy, where small and medium-size businesses operate in cash.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 26, 2026

And as Alphabet spends billions on AI, it just reported its first quarter ever with negative free cash flow.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 26, 2026

A new security filing revealed the streamer giant paid $587 million in cash for the actor’s film tech company.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 26, 2026

There was no need on either side—long or short—for cash to change hands.

From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis

Another body belonged to her son, Brian Cash, who would have turned 23 this month.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 20, 2026

Bruce Springsteen played it recently with Rosanne Cash at the recent “Music America: The Songs that Shaped Us” concerts held at the Bruce Springsteen Center for American Music.

From Salon ● Jul. 14, 2026

Cash and equivalents plus short-term investments are at about $4.8 billion, while debt is at around $6.5 billion, he said.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 7, 2026

Five British players - Neal Skupski, Henry Patten, Julian Cash, Lloyd Glasspool and Joe Salisbury - are ranked inside the world's top 15, and all have won Grand Slam titles over the past six seasons.

From BBC ● Jun. 30, 2026

We decided to create the Cookie Monster Cash relief jar so we could have cash in case of emergencies.

From "Marcus Vega Doesn't Speak Spanish" by Pablo Cartaya

Related Words

• buck
• currency
• investment
• note
• payment
• refund
• reserve
• security
• stock
• supply