| 释义 |
▪ I. auction, n.|ˈɔːkʃən|
[ad. L. auctiōn-em ‘increase,’ n. of action f. augēre to increase, already in L. use for ‘a sale by increase of bids.’ (Not in Fr.)]
†1. The action of increasing; increase, growth.
1692Ray Disc. ii. iv. (1732) 124 The Actions of Nutrition, Auction and Generation. 1696Phillips, Auction, in Physic, Nourishment whereby more is restor'd than was lost.
2. a. A public sale in which each bidder offers an increase upon the price offered by the preceding, the article put up being sold to the highest bidder. Called in Scotl. and north of Engl. a roup.
(‘To sell or put up at auction’ is a common const. in U.S.; in England goods are ‘sold by auction,’ ‘put up to auction.’)
1595Warner Plautus' Menæch. v. vii. (R.) The auction of Menæchmus..when will be sold Slaves, household goods, etc. 1678Phillips (App.), Auction, a making a publick Sale, and selling of Goods by an Outcry. 1692Sir C. Lyttelton in Hatton Corr. (1878) II. 169 Many auctions..of y⊇ best collections [of pictures]. 1758Johnson Idler No. 5 ⁋6 Ladies, who must run to sales and auctions without an attendant. 1860Motley Netherl. I. i. 14 His carpets..were disposed of at auction. 1876Rogers Pol. Econ. xiii. 21 These..were put up from time to time to auction.
fig.1849Macaulay Hist. Eng. II. 216 Then followed an auction..On one side the king, on the other the Church, began to bid eagerly against each other.
b. = auction bridge (bridge n.2 b). Also attrib.
1908W. Dalton Auction Bridge p. iv, If you are accustomed to play Bridge for 6d. points, or {pstlg}2 10s. per 100, play Auction for {pstlg}1 per 100. 1918A. Bennett Pretty Lady xxviii. 196 Auction afterwards? 1929M. C. Work Complete Contract Bridge p. xi, Slowly but surely auction players began to realize that the new game had attractions. 1930J. B. Priestley Angel Pavement xi. 580 They were now playing their third rubber of auction.
c. Auction Bridge. The act or process of bidding; a bid made in this way.
1908‘Auctioneer’ Auction Bridge for Three or Four Players 31 The player who wins the auction takes the dummy as his partner. 1927L. Hattersley Contract & Auction Bridge Clarified (ed. 2) i. 20 The Auction begins with the first declaration after each deal and continues until the final pass. 1958Listener 2 Oct. 541/2 North bid Three Clubs and East became the declarer in Six Diamonds after this auction: South No bid [etc.].
d. Phr. all over the auction, everywhere. Austral. slang.
1930K. S. Prichard Haxby's Circus v. 63 ‘Did I step on it, Doc?’ Will asked. ‘Step on it? You waltzed all over the bloomin' auction.’ 1960‘N. Shute’ Trustee from Toolroom i. 11 You'd be surprised at the number of letters that there are—all over the auction.
3. A public sale of somewhat similar character.
(It has been the custom in some places to set up an inch of lighted candle, the last bidder before the wick falls becoming purchaser of the property. In a Dutch auction, property is offered at a price beyond its value, the price being gradually lowered till some one accepts it as purchaser.)
1673Marvell Reh. Transp. ii. 234 As in an Auction, to be sold by Inch of Candle. 1728Young Love of Fame iv. (1757) 115 The writing tribe, who shameless auctions hold Of praise, by inch of candle to be sold. 1881Daily News 29 Dec. 6/4 The captain sells the fish by auction, putting the highest price on the basketful to be sold, and gradually lowering it till some one closes with his offer.
†4. The property put up to auction. Obs.
1732Pope Mor. Ess. iii. 119 Ask you why Phryne the whole auction buys? Phryne foresees a general excise.
5. attrib., as in auction-house, auction-mart, auction-pulpit, auction-room, auction-sale; auction bridge, pool: see bridge n.2 b, pool n.3
1682Lond. Gaz. No. 1716/4 There is daily attendance given at the *Auction-house.
1810Bentham Packing (1821) 121 The magnificent edifice, now erecting..under the name of the *Auction Mart.
1767J. Wedgwood Let. 31 May (1965) 55 Everybody would be apt to stroll into an *Auction room. 1775J. Andrews Lett. (1866) 81 The soldiers..took quarters..in Gould's auction room or store. 1791Boswell Johnson 8 Apr. 1775 A certain celebrated actor was just fit to stand at the door of an auction-room with a long pole, and cry ‘Pray gentlemen, walk in’. 1936V. A. Demant Christian Polity ii. 36 The auction-room flavour of our secular moralities.
1820Deb. Congress U.S. I. 367 The evils arising from *auction sales. 1888[see sale n.2 1 b]. 1898Daily News 3 Mar. 3/3 Auction sale of rights of patronage was absolutely prohibited.
▪ II. auction, v.|ˈɔːkʃən|
[f. prec. n. Cf. L. auctiōn-āri in same sense.]
To sell by auction. Hence auctioned ppl. a.
1807Crabbe Par. Reg. ii. 349 An auctioned bed, with curtains neat and new. 1884J. Stephens in Contemp. Rev. May 689 And auctioned off their consciences to the Ministerial bidder. |