money in the form of coins or banknotes, especially that issued by a government.
money or an equivalent, as a check, paid at the time of making a purchase.
to give or obtain cash for (a check, money order, etc.).
Cards.
to win (a trick) by leading an assured winner.
to lead (an assured winner) in order to win a trick.
He cashed his ace and led the queen.
cash in
to turn in and get cash for (one's chips), as in a gambling casino.
to end or withdraw from a business agreement; convert one's assets into cash.
Slang. to die.
After her parents cashed in, she lived with her grandmother.
cash in on to profit from; use to one's advantage.
swindlers who cash in on the credulity of the public.
banknotes and coins, esp in hand or readily available; money or ready money
immediate payment, in full or part, for goods or services (esp in the phrase cash down )
(modifier) of, for, or paid by cash
a cash transaction
a checkout counter
First recorded in 1590–1600; from Middle French casse, from Old Italian cassa, from Latin capsa “(cylindrical) case (for books)”; see also cashier 1
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)
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."
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Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
There’s a good chunk of consumers that are not cash constrained that keep going to bigger pack sizes.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 29, 2026
She says she then asked whether he had a phone charger or any cash, so she could get home, but that Leto said no to both.
From BBC ● Jul. 29, 2026
Still, at the time, Ford said it didn’t expect to receive the actual cash until 2027.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 29, 2026
A series of messages guided him to a wad of cash hidden under some rubbish near the entrance to a footpath tunnel.
From BBC ● Jul. 29, 2026
I thanked her, gathered up my books, thanked her again, and let another bookstore person guide me to the cash register.
From "Bye Forever, I Guess" by Jodi Meadows
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 distributions will align with those ownership interests, the company said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 13, 2026
Videos posted online showed one dog, Cash, trembling in his kennel.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 8, 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
“It’s Cash and Jewel and Vardaman and Dewey Dell,” pa says, kind of hangdog and proud too, with his teeth and all, even if he wouldn’t look at us.
From "As I Lay Dying" by William Faulkner
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
