Meaning of sale In English

• 0 an act of exchanging something for money:

  • The sale of cigarettes/alcohol is forbidden.

  • The building company gets commission on each house sale.

  • I haven't made a sale all morning.

  • They'll drop the price rather than lose the sale.

  • Is this painting for sale?

  • Our neighbours put their house up for sale (= started to advertise that they want to sell it) last week.

  • He works in Sales.

  • the sales department/manager

  • Sales this year exceeded the total for the two previous years.

  • a charity/Christmas/book sale

  • US a garage/yard sale

  • a sale of antique furniture

  • a cattle sale

  • On sale at record stores now.

  • We can supply goods on a sale or return basis.

• 1 an occasion when goods are sold at a lower price than usual:

  • a mid-season/end-of-season sale

  • a clearance/closing-down sale

  • I bought this in the January sales.

  • sale goods/prices

  • Can you tell me if this dress is in the sale?

• 2 an act of exchanging something for money:

  • [ U ] You pay tax on the profits from the sale of buildings.

  • [ C ] The school raised money from book sales, bake sales, and individual contributors.

  • [ U ] When I bought this house, there were many, many homes for sale (= available to be bought).

• 3 an occasion when goods are sold at a lower price than usual:

  • a clearance sale

  • Are these dresses on sale (= reduced in price)?

• 4 the act or process of selling something:

  • make a sale The salesman was eager to make a quick sale.

  • agree a sale

  • complete/close a sale When the time came to close the sale, another page had been added to the contract.

  • sale of sth The sale of tobacco items to minors is prohibited.

  • car/house/ticket sales

  • online/internet sales

• 5 a period when a store is selling things at lower prices than usual:

  • have a sale

  • a mid-season sale

  • the January/July sales

  • in the sale(s) I got a new coat for $50 in the sales.

• 6 an occasion when a particular type of product is being sold:

  • The library has a book sale every year.

  • a sale of Oriental carpets

• 7 the number of products sold and the amount of money a company receives from selling its products and services:

  • The South African fruit company has annual sales of $750 million.

  • sales rise/increase/go up Last year sales rose by 14% to €8.4 million.

  • sales fall/decline/go down

  • decline/fall/reduction in sales Management is worried about the decline in sales.

  • The department achieved its monthly sales target.

• 8 the business of selling products or services, or the department in a company that is responsible for selling them:

  • sales staff/department/office

  • sales call/brochure These techniques can increase the effectiveness of your sales calls.

  • work/be in sales My father worked in sales for forty years.

  • She used to be an administrator in the production department, but now she is in sales.

• 9 being sold by the person or organization that owns it, and available to buy:

  • The building has been for sale for thirteen months.

  • put sth up for sale We have decided to put the company up for sale.

• 10 available to buy:

  • Tickets are on sale now!

  • Everything goes on sale as soon as the doors open.

  • All their men's clothing is on sale this week.

• 11 used to say that the person selling a product or possession does not promise that what they are selling is in good condition or suitable for a particular purpose:

  • The house is being sold sale as seen.

  • Secondhand fitted kitchen for sale as seen.