Idiom
let the buyer beware
Meaning
It is the buyer’s responsibility to ensure the soundness of goods or services prior to their purchase.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Examples
“Always check the car before buying; let the buyer beware.”
“Since the store does not offer refunds on used electronics, you must let the buyer beware.”
“In the unregulated world of online auctions, the principle of let the buyer beware remains the only protection for the consumer.”
Examples
simple
“Always check the car before buying; let the buyer beware.”
contextual
“Since the store does not offer refunds on used electronics, you must let the buyer beware.”
complex
“In the unregulated world of online auctions, the principle of let the buyer beware remains the only protection for the consumer.”
Origin
A direct calque of the Latin phrase *caveat ēmptor*. The expression serves as a formalised warning in commercial transactions, placing the burden of due diligence upon the purchaser rather than the vendor.
Key words
Related idioms
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