cash

1 of 4

noun (1)

1
: ready money
2
: money or its equivalent (such as a check) paid for goods or services at the time of purchase or delivery

cash

2 of 4

adjective

: being a method of accounting that includes as income only what has been received and as expenses only those paid compare accrual

cash

3 of 4

verb

cashed; cashing; cashes

transitive verb

1
: to pay or obtain cash for
cash a check
2
: to lead and win a bridge trick with (a card that is the highest remaining card of its suit)
cashable adjective

cash

4 of 4

noun (2)

plural cash
1
: any of various coins of small value in China and southern India
especially : a Chinese coin with a square hole in the center
2
: a unit of value equivalent to one cash

Illustration of cash

Illustration of cash
  • 4cash 1

Examples of cash in a Sentence

Noun (1) went to the ATM to get more cash Verb The store wouldn't cash the check. He cashed his paycheck at the bank.
Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Noun
The Powerball jackpot for Wednesday night's draw was estimated at $478 million and had a cash value of $230.5 million. Shelby Slade, The Arizona Republic, 24 Oct. 2024 The pair won a prize of $246 million but took home a cash option of roughly $165 million, according to CNN affiliate WSB-TV. Graham Hurley, CNN, 24 Oct. 2024
Adjective
Such federal government programs should be phased out gradually in favor of a universal basic income that would provide cash to everyone rather than non-cash benefits to a select few. Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Orange County Register, 4 Oct. 2024 These adjustments are essential for reconciling differences between cash and non-cash items, which highlights why all three financial statements are necessary. Vipul Bansal, Forbes, 3 Sep. 2024
Verb
In isolation, your best line is to lead low to the queen and then cash the ace, playing for king-doubleton onside. Deb Harvell, arkansasonline.com, 27 Oct. 2024 Her payout was for $14,000 — minus $900 just to cash the check. Paloma Esquivel, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for cash 

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

modification of Middle French or Old Italian; Middle French casse money box, from Old Italian cassa, from Latin capsa chest — more at case

Noun (2)

Portuguese caixa, from Tamil kācu, a small copper coin, from Sanskrit karṣa, a weight of gold or silver

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1593, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1622, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1811, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

1598, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of cash was in 1593

Dictionary Entries Near cash

Cite this Entry

“Cash.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cash. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

cash

1 of 2 noun
1
: money in the form of coins or bills
2
: money or its equivalent (as a check) paid for goods at the time of purchase or delivery

cash

2 of 2 verb
: to pay or obtain cash for
cash a check
Etymology

Noun

from early French casse or early Italian cassa, both meaning "money box," from Latin capsa "chest, box" — related to case entry 2

Legal Definition

cash

noun
1
: ready money
2
: money or its equivalent (as a check) paid for goods or services at the time of purchase or delivery

More from Merriam-Webster on cash

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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