outbuyv.
/ˌaʊtˈbʌɪ/, U.S. /ˌaʊtˈbaɪ/ 1. transitive. To ransom (a prisoner), to buy out of slavery; to buy out of (a state of sin) through the purchase of indulgences; to get rid of by buying. Cf. to buy out at buy v. Phrasal verbs.
ΘΚΠ
society > trade and finance > buying > buy [verb (transitive)] > pay to be rid of
outbuyc1300
to buy out1598
redeem1705
to buy off1851
c1300 St. Leonard (Laud) 153 in C. Horstmann Early S.-Eng. Legendary (1887) 461 A luþer man..brouȝhte him into strong prisoun and ȝaf him swiþe hard dom, Þat bote his freond him wolden out bugge [c1300 Harl. wolde bugge; ?a1425 Julius boȝte out], he scholde bileue þere.
c1455 Regiam Majestatem c. 45 With his awn propyr pennis he may him nocht outby [L. redimere].
1634 Bp. J. Hall Contempl. Hist. New Test. (STC 12640.5) 189 The wande, and the sheet are for poore offenders, the great either out-face or out-buy their shame.
1715 L. Theobald Perfidious Brother ii. 21 And yet, so dearly have I lov'd the false One, That had I Gems, which would out-buy the World, I'd give 'em all, be stript of Fortune's Favours.
1843 E. Bulwer-Lytton Last of Barons I. iii. viii. 299 That correspondence names thee as one who has taken the gold of Count Charolois, and whom, therefore, King Louis may outbuy.
1987 Times 12 Oct. 17/4 Indians would be enabled to outbuy ethnic Fijians.
2. transitive. To outdo in buying, buy more than. Formerly also: †to pay more for (something) than it is worth (obsolete).
ΘΚΠ
society > trade and finance > buying > buy [verb (transitive)] > buy at too high price
overbuyc1450
outbuy1608
over-purchase1651
society > trade and finance > buying > buy [verb (transitive)] > outdo in buying
outbuy1608
overbuy1886
1608 G. Chapman Conspiracie Duke of Byron iv. sig. G3 He that winnes Empire with the losse of faith, Out-buies it.
1616 T. Roe Embassy to Great Mogul 10 Aug. (1899) 228 They [sc. the Dutch] would both out-present, out-bribe, and out-buy vs in all things.
a1797 E. Burke Wks. (1869) 348 It enabled him to feed a multitude of people,—one of the surest and largest sources of influence, and which always outbuys money in the traffic of affections.
1864 H. T. Tuckerman Amer. & her Commentators 30 The merchants increased so many, that it became little worth by reason of their outbuying one another, which caused them to live upon husbandry.
1977 Washington Post (Nexis) 8 May c8 The well-to-do cannot, and do not seem to want to, outbid or outbuy the less well off.
2000 Gazette (Colorado Springs) (Nexis) 15 Sept. Do-it-your-selfers outbuy professionals 3-to-1.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2004; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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