liquidate
Americanverb (used with object)
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to settle or pay (a debt).
to liquidate a claim.
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to reduce (accounts) to order; determine the amount of (indebtedness or damages).
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to convert (inventory, securities, or other assets) into cash.
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to get rid of, especially by killing.
to liquidate the enemies of the regime.
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to break up or do away with.
to liquidate a partnership.
verb (used without object)
verb
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to settle or pay off (a debt, claim, etc)
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to determine by litigation or agreement the amount of (damages, indebtedness, etc)
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to terminate the operations of (a commercial firm, bankrupt estate, etc) by assessment of liabilities and appropriation of assets for their settlement
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(of a commercial firm, etc) to terminate operations in this manner
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(tr) to convert (assets) into cash
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(tr) to eliminate or kill
Other Word Forms
- nonliquidating adjective
- preliquidate verb (used with object)
- reliquidate verb
- unliquidated adjective
- unliquidating adjective
Etymology
Origin of liquidate
1565–75; 1920–25 liquidate for def. 4; < Late Latin liquidātus, past participle of liquidāre to melt, make clear. See liquid, -ate 1
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.
“It’s more about a lot of uncertainty in risk markets and a demand for liquidity,” and market participants at some point “having to sell good assets after liquidating bad assets just to have cash.”
From MarketWatch
Some victims have sold homes or liquidated retirement portfolios.
However, he does not want to spend all of his savings or liquidate his small home.
From MarketWatch
Last month it called on the board of Compass Diversified, a publicly traded investment firm, to launch an immediate strategic review and liquidate the company.
It’s a clever workaround and it would be technically feasible, but you are correct in that the opportunity cost and potential capital-gains taxes from liquidating other assets probably outweigh those tax savings.
From MarketWatch
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.
