auction

Definitions

From Latin auctio 'an increasing' (auc-, a form of augere 'to increase' + -tion). A Roman auction was named for the one thing that keeps happening — the price rising as bidders outbid one another. The word froze that motion: an auction is defined by numbers that only go up.

Why It Means This

The surprise is that auction is a cousin of augment. Both come from Latin augere 'to increase.' The Romans named the event not after the goods or the seller, but after the price's behavior — it kept climbing. So at heart, 'auction' simply means 'the increasing.'

Common Collocations

• 1.online auction在线拍卖
• 2.auction house拍卖行
• 3.auction off拍卖掉
• 4.silent auction无声竞拍
• 5.charity auction慈善拍卖

Example Sentences

• 1.

  The painting sold for a record price at the auction.

• 2.

  They decided to auction off the old furniture online.

• 3.

  Bidding at the charity auction quickly passed ten thousand dollars.