26984 words

auction

5 definitions • 14 examples
1
a usually public sale of goods or property, where people make higher and higher bids (= offers of money) for each thing, until the thing is sold to the person who will pay most:

Examples:

a furniture auction
They're holding an auction of jewellery on Thursday.
The painting will be sold at auction next week.
The house and its contents are being put up for auction.
2
to sell something in a public auction:

Examples:

The stamps will be auctioned tomorrow.
The family is auctioning (off) its art collection.
3
a usually public sale of goods or property, where people make higher and higher bids (= offers of money) for each item, until there are no higher bids and it is sold for the most money offered:

Examples:

[ C ] an auction of early American furniture
[ U ] bulls sold at auction
4
a public sale in which goods or property are sold to the person who offers the most money:

Examples:

sell sth at auction The painting was sold at auction for €12 million.
hold an auction We held a charity auction in aid of the local hospital.
be up/come up/go up/be put up for auction One of the prints recently came up for auction in the United States.
an internet/online/public auction You can bid for it in an online auction.
5
to sell something in a public auction:

Examples:

The stamps will be auctioned tomorrow.
The family is auctioning off its art collection.

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