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.
Funds cannot be accessed until age 18, and at that point, they follow IRA rules and are largely not meant to be withdrawn until age 59½.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 26, 2026
Funds would also support marketing efforts, website development and public relations campaigns to promote business and activities within the BID.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 20, 2026
Funds affiliated with Bracket Capital — an investment firm with offices in Los Angeles, London and Qatar — invested about $48 million through a series of deals from 2017 through 2020, the documents show.
From Salon • Jun. 19, 2026
Appeared in the June 10, 2026, print edition as 'Startup Raises Funds for AI Strategy'.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 9, 2026
Funds dribbled in, but social workers no longer came to check on the children; health workers and building inspectors no longer came to inspect the building.
From "Ruby Holler" by Sharon Creech
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.
