auction1 nounauction2 verb
auctionauc‧tion1 /ˈɔːkʃən $ ˈɒːk-/ ●○○ noun [countable, uncountable] 
WORD ORIGINauction1
Origin:
1500-1600 Latin auctio ‘increase’, from augere ( ➔ AUGMENT); because the money offered increasesEXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- Bikes that have not been claimed by the owners will be sold at a public auction January 11.
- How much do you think the painting would fetch at auction?
- Sotheby's decided to hold auctions in Japan twice a year.
- The buyer did not attend the auction, but sent a representative to place the bids.
- A judge has given class-action status to a suit against the auction giant.
- An undeniable attraction of an auction is the possibility that some undervalued item may be for sale.
- And all had been bought at a government auction.
- His first painting goes up for auction on Friday.
- Much to William Pitt's disgust Cator sold the bond by public auction to a solicitor called Yates.
- Sometimes, the cars are bought at U.S. government or charity auctions.
- There are even sections on architectural salvage, ethnic crafts and furnishings, auctions and markets.
Longman Language Activatorto sell something to the person who offers the most money
also auction off · One of the Beatles' guitars is being auctioned for charity.· The contents of the house were auctioned to pay off the family's debts.
a public meeting at which things are sold to the person who offers to pay the most money: · The buyer did not attend the auction, but sent a representative to place the bids.hold an auction: · Sotheby's decided to hold auctions in Japan twice a year.at (an) auction: · Bikes that have not been claimed by the owners will be sold at a public auction January 11.· How much do you think the painting would fetch at auction?
to arrange for something be sold at a public meeting to the person who offers to pay the most money: · After months trying to sell the farm, they decided to put it up for auction.· One of the world's finest collections of vintage cars is to be put up for auction.
informal if something comes or goes under the hammer , especially something valuable such as a famous painting, it is sold at an auction: · A collection of prints and paintings by Picasso came under the hammer at Sotheby's yesterday.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY
a public meeting where land, buildings, paintings etc are sold to the person who offers the most money for themat auction (=try to sell something at an auction)
This week 14 of his paintings were put up for auction.
This week 14 of his paintings were put up for auction. (=a company that arranges auctions)
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADJECTIVE· There are millions of goods for sale in thousands of categories across hundreds of online auctions.
· Much to William Pitt's disgust Cator sold the bond by public auction to a solicitor called Yates.· This is a state that sells its road kill at public auction.· The girl, he thought, like all her kind, was now forced into this public auction.
· Samit is the leading force behind the Net-A-Thon, an on-line cross between a telethon and a charity silent auction.· A silent auction featured many items donated by local businesses.· A dinner and silent auction follows with the social hour at 7 p.m. in the Sawmill with Rooney's wife performing.· Several airlines are experimenting with selling tickets in cyberspace via silent auctions or last-minute fare deals publicized by e-mail.· The proceedings include a silent auction, dinner catered by Stars Restaurant and, yes, plenty of dance.
NOUN· The following year his museum and all his other buildings went on the auction block to satisfy his debtors.· Those parcels may hit the auction block.· Surely he will find himself once more on the dreaded auction block.· Hilton made it clear that those assets would likely be put on the auction block.· As she did, she saw the young slave girl on the auction block.
· Many entertainments are planned for the night including a charity auction, games and a tombola.· Sometimes, the cars are bought at U.S. government or charity auctions.
· The wealthy Detroit property developer of shopping malls enjoyed the social prestige of owning the world's largest auction house.· World Golf opened in mid-December in Sherman Oaks, in a brick building that once was an auction house.· The auction houses may anticipate an effect on prices, although early and late impressions are already clearly differentiated in catalogue descriptions.· It cost $ 93, 500 at an auction house.· Since then Sotheby's business has spread into less traditional auction house areas, including real estate.· The auction house decided to withdraw from the sale when its December 1990 contract with Lord Northampton came up for renewal.· The auction house had expected £3 million from the sale - it got £10 million.· Is Phillips getting to parts that other auction houses can not reach?
· A co-operative approach by auction markets was a safer alternative, he believed.· Another distinction is that some wholesale markets are auction markets, and some are over-the-counter markets. 5.· He felt embarrassed at the thought of walking among the men, assessing them as though they were cattle in an auction market.· The auction market in foreign exchange involves trading in futures contracts.
· The Van Gogh holds the world auction price record of $ 82.5m.· The securities will pay a real rate of return, based on the auction price, plus an inflation adjustment.· Sotheby's can ill afford to have its auction prices called into question.
· As the author of this publication, my opinion has been sought from time to time by dealers, other scholars and the auction rooms.· The antiquities for sale have come from private collections in London and New York, from auction rooms and the trade.· And just across the street was an auction room.· Oh, and always trust your instinct in the auction room.· Considerable collections can often be acquired in a single auction room lot.
· By conducting the world's first airborne auction sale.· A synagogue canceled its ice cream social and auction sale.· When Bill was setting up his first home, he used to attend auction sales, looking for reasonably priced furniture.· Replacements such as furniture and curtains which I picked up in auction sales we kept in what we called the dry store.· It was the largest auction sale of a single collector held this century, and made seven million pounds.· The difference between an offer and an invitation to treat can most clearly be seen in auction sales.· I started attending auction sales both locally and in London and gradually got the melin into shape for letting.· Damaged equipment can and does appear at auction sales but often remains undetected until the buyer has taken it home.
· The Business Software Alliance has estimated that up to 80 per cent of software sold on auction sites may be illegal.· The aircraft landed at Cannon International Airport and were taxied down city streets to the auction site.· The retailers themselves are increasingly finding strength in numbers, signing up for Internet-based auctions sites and buying groups.· These counterfeit copies have been known to turn up on major auction sites, so do beware.· Most auction sites sell either individual bits of kit from joe Public, or sell on surplus stock in bulk.· Software can be seen on all auction sites.
VERB· Comprising over 200 pieces, the Larner collection is the largest single-owner collection of its kind to appear at auction.· Of course there are collections of these models and sometimes they appear at auction.· Damaged equipment can and does appear at auction sales but often remains undetected until the buyer has taken it home.
· I have tried buying second-hand machines at auction with some mixed success.· I bought it at an auction in London last year.· For the first time that anyone can remember, the Soviet Union has been buying at the London auction.· And all had been bought at a government auction.· Branson bought them at an auction which inflated the group's price far beyond its true value.· You can always buy at auction later.
· Mr Jeremy Sparks, Phillips's operations manager, will conduct most of the auction from the hexagonal pine pulpit.
· The Van Gogh holds the world auction price record of $ 82.5m.· There are five main sales centers, including one in Los Angeles, which hold auctions every nine weeks.· It is currently holding a gilt auction of around £3 billion on the last Wednesday of every month.· The City decided to sell the land, and this summer held an auction.· Strathclyde regional council even decided to hold an auction because the ruthless Government have allowed it to deteriorate.· The group could hold its first auction within the next two weeks if enough cars are donated, she added.· In these circumstances, advertisements will be construed as a declaration of intention to hold an auction and not a contract.· But some two dozen states collect delinquent taxes on property by holding lien certificate auctions.
· The building will include an auction hall, valeting and inspection areas, a wash bay and entry control.· The proceedings include a silent auction, dinner catered by Stars Restaurant and, yes, plenty of dance.
· The company's stay was fairly brief, for in 1908 operations ceased and the mill was put up for auction.· Hilton made it clear that those assets would likely be put on the auction block.· Bill McMahon puts its auction value at around £120.· Read in studio Five pubs worth seven hundred thousand pounds have been put up for auction by one of the big breweries.
· Too few of his greatest paintings are sold at auction to be indexed but appear to have risen at least twice as fast.· Autos, motorcycles, vans and pickup trucks abandoned at Los Angeles International Airport are sold at auction.· The Business Software Alliance has estimated that up to 80 per cent of software sold on auction sites may be illegal.· S., most timber is grown on privately held land and is sold at auction.· We sent the lambs to be sold at auction in the autumn.· Under the proposal, the debt will be turned over to a securitization fund, which will sell it at auction.· The vendor or his agent may already have decided to sell the land by auction, tender or highest offer.· When the market is buoyant, it will normally be in the vendor's interest to sell at auction.
The house was sold at auction.put something up for auction (=try to sell something at an auction) This week 14 of his paintings were put up for auction.auction house (=a company that arranges auctions)auction1 nounauction2 verb
auctionauction2 (also auction off) verb [transitive] to sell something at an auction