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earnest money

See more synonyms for earnest money on Thesaurus.com
noun Law.
  1. money given by a buyer to a seller to bind a contract.
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Origin of earnest money

First recorded in 1550–60
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for earnest money

Historical Examples

  • Well, if there is to be no earnest-money, at least we will have the vodka.

    Fifty Contemporary One-Act Plays

    Various

  • By this time Mr. Grewgious had his agreement-lines, and his earnest-money, ready.

  • He said no word as to his birth, but asked him leave to trade on his lands, offering a ring as earnest-money.

  • I congratulated myself on having taken the packet and paid the earnest-money, and went to bed.

    The Memoires of Casanova, Complete

    Jacques Casanova de Seingalt

  • She will be glad to hear the news, and shake hands on the bargain, and christen the earnest-money with vodka.