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auction definition

auc·tion (ôk′s̸hən)

noun

  1. a public sale at which items are sold one by one, each going to the last and highest of a series of competing bidders
  2. auction bridge
  3. the bidding in bridge
  4. Finance a sale of government securities in which competitive bidding determines their yield

Etymology: L auctio, an increasing, sale by increase of bids < auctus, pp. of augere, to increase: see wax

transitive verb

to sell at an auction
auction Idioms

auction off

to sell at auction

put up at auction

☆
to offer for sale at an auction

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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