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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
With the Boston Red Sox and New York Mets also in pursuit, the Phillies will need to be ready to pony up some serious cash for the southpaw. Paul Du Quenoy, Newsweek, 10 Jan. 2025 The state gave them until July 2024 to return the cash, but the deadline came and went. Wpec Staff, Baltimore Sun, 10 Jan. 2025
Adjective
However, later studies have found this effect between cards or mobile payment and cash becoming weaker with time, suggesting that this may be because consumers have become more used to non-cash payment methods. Bill Hardekopf, Forbes, 20 Dec. 2024 In 2025, account-to-account and real-time payments will displace cash in Europe and Latin America, especially in countries with younger populations who are open to non-cash payment methods. Forrester, Forbes, 26 Nov. 2024
Verb
These tickets must be cashed at a Florida Lottery district office or the main office in Tallahassee, all of which are open 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 6 Jan. 2025 By raising that valuation to current levels, Lummis argues, the U.S. Treasury could cash a check at the Fed that should be enough to buy all the bitcoin. Brady Dale, Axios, 2 Jan. 2025 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 15 Jan. 2025.

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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