funds
Britishplural noun
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money that is readily available
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British government securities representing national debt
Explanation
The money you have available at a given time are your funds. If you only get paid once a month, you have to budget carefully so you don't run out of funds between paychecks. The word funds comes from the Latin word fundus, which means "bottom," "base," or "a piece of property." It's not clear how the noun funds got from property to available cash, but perhaps the connection came because a person could base his financial security on being able to sell his land if he needed ready money. If your kids are low on funds, they will probably hit you up for an advance on their allowances. The request will probably begin something like, "How much do you love me?" Too bad that doesn't work at your bank!
Vocabulary lists containing funds
Figurative Language in King's "I Have a Dream" Speech (1963)
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Figurative Language in King's "I Have a Dream" Speech (1963), List 1
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Supreme Court healthcare ruling
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The deal is being financed in parts by equity commitments from funds associated with Searchlight Capital Partners.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 21, 2026
The council issued the funds and they were sent directly to Zadrozny, who deposited them in the account, before withdrawing them in cash in March.
From BBC ● Sep. 21, 2026
This allows the surviving spouse to roll the funds into their own IRA, a valuable tax benefit only available to spouses.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 21, 2026
Financing for the deal reportedly includes about $24 billion in equity from the sovereign wealth funds of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Abu Dhabi.
From Barron's
“I called Goldman Sachs to ask them about Paulson,” said one rich man whom Paulson had solicited for funds in mid-2006.
From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis
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.
