▪ I.auction,n.|ˈɔːkʃən|[ad.L. auctiōn-em ‘increase,’n.of actionf.augēre to increase, already in L. use for ‘a sale by increase of bids.’ (Not inFr.)]†1.The action of increasing; increase, growth.1692RayDisc.ii. iv. (1732) 124The 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 inScotl.and north ofEngl.a roup.(‘To sell or put up at auction’ is a commonconst.inU.S.; in England goods are ‘sold by auction,’ ‘put up to auction.’)1595WarnerPlautus' 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 inHattonCorr.(1878) II. 169Many auctions..of y⊇ best collections[of pictures].
1758JohnsonIdlerNo.5 ⁋6Ladies, who must run to sales and auctions without an attendant.
1860MotleyNetherl. I. i. 14His carpets..were disposed of at auction.
1876RogersPol.Econ.xiii. 21These..were put up from time to time to auction.
fig.1849MacaulayHist.Eng.II. 216Then followed an auction..On one side the king, on the other the Church, began to bid eagerly against each other.
b.=auction bridge (bridgen.2 b). Also attrib.1908W. DaltonAuction 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. BennettPretty Lady xxviii. 196Auction afterwards?
1929M. C. WorkComplete Contract Bridge p. xi,Slowly but surely auction players began to realize that the new game had attractions.
1930J. B. PriestleyAngel Pavement xi. 580They 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 31The player who wins the auction takes the dummy as his partner.
1927L. HattersleyContract & Auction Bridge Clarified (ed.2) i. 20The Auction begins with the first declaration after each deal and continues until the finalpass.
1958Listener 2 Oct. 541/2North 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. PrichardHaxby'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. 11You'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.)1673MarvellReh. Transp. ii. 234As in an Auction, to be sold by Inch of Candle.
1728YoungLove of Fame iv. (1757) 115The writing tribe, who shameless auctions hold Of praise, by inch of candle to be sold.
1881Daily News 29 Dec. 6/4The 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.1732PopeMor.Ess.iii. 119Ask 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 bridgen.2 b, pooln.31682Lond.Gaz.No.1716/4There is daily attendance given at the *Auction-house.
1810BenthamPacking (1821) 121The magnificent edifice, now erecting..under the name of the *Auction Mart.
1767J. WedgwoodLet.31 May (1965) 55Everybody would be apt to stroll into an *Auction room.
1775J. AndrewsLett.(1866) 81The soldiers..took quarters..in Gould's auction room or store.
1791BoswellJohnson 8 Apr. 1775A 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. DemantChristian Polity ii. 36The auction-room flavour of our secular moralities.
1820Deb.CongressU.S.I. 367The evils arising from *auction sales.
1888[see salen.2 1 b].
1898Daily News 3 Mar. 3/3Auction 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.1807CrabbePar.Reg.ii. 349An auctioned bed, with curtains neat and new.
1884J. Stephens inContemp.Rev.May 689And auctioned off their consciences to the Ministerial bidder.
