sale
- 01 A2 Elementary
the act of selling something for money.
the exchange of goods, services, or property for money or credit.
Simple“The sale of the family home took much longer than they expected.”
In context“The final sale of the subsidiary was delayed by several weeks due to unforeseen regulatory hurdles in the overseas market.”
UsageOften used in the phrase 'for sale' to indicate an item is available to buy.
PitfallThe house is for sale since last month. The house has been for sale since last month.When describing a state that started in the past and continues now, use the present perfect with 'for sale'.
Synonyms - 02 A2 Elementary
a period when a shop sells its products at lower prices than usual.
an event during which a retailer offers goods at discounted prices.
Simple“I bought these shoes for half price during the winter sale.”
In context“The department store announced a flash sale to clear out remaining summer inventory before the autumn collection arrived.”
UsageCommonly used with 'in the' (e.g., 'I bought it in the sale').
- 03 B1 Intermediate
the total number of items a company sells.
the total amount of goods or services sold during a specific period, often expressed as a currency value.
Simple“The company reported that sales were up by ten percent this year.”
In context“Despite the economic downturn, online sales remained robust, offsetting the losses incurred by the brand's physical retail locations.”
UsageUsually used in the plural ('sales') when referring to a company's total figures.
- 04 C1 Advanced
an event where items are sold to the person who offers the most money.
the disposal of property or goods through a public bidding process.
Simple“The historic estate was put up for forced sale by the bank.”
In context“The court ordered a judicial sale of the assets to satisfy the outstanding debts owed to the primary creditors.”
Synonymsauctionpublic sale
Usage sale of disposable · sales pitch · sale for at least
From Old English sealh (“willow tree”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.