cash
cash
Pronunciation
cash: /kæʃ/
ca- /kæ/ (The 'c' makes a /k/ sound, and 'a' makes an /æ/ sound)
-sh /ʃ/ (The 'sh' makes a /ʃ/ sound)
Word Form Variations
Singular Noun: cash
Plural Noun: cash (uncountable, so the plural form is the same as the singular)
Verb (base form): cash
Verb (third-person singular present): cashes
Verb (present participle): cashing
Verb (past tense): cashed
Verb (past participle): cashed
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Noun
Definition: Physical money in the form of coins and banknotes, as opposed to checks, credit cards, or electronic transfers.
Synonyms: currency, money, banknotes, coins, specie, hard currency
Antonyms: credit, debt, check, digital payment, cryptocurrency
Definition: Immediate payment for goods or services at the time of purchase or delivery.
Synonyms: upfront payment, immediate payment, spot payment
Antonyms: credit, installment, deferred payment, payment plan
Verb
Definition: To exchange a check or other negotiable instrument for money.
Synonyms: convert, encash, liquidate, realize
Antonyms: deposit, endorse, write (a check), issue (a check)
Definition: To obtain actual money from something that represents money (e.g., cashing in a lottery ticket).
Synonyms: redeem, collect, turn in, convert
Antonyms: forfeit, lose, invalidate, hold onto
Examples of Use
Books:
"He fumbled in his pocket for some cash to pay for the coffee, his fingers brushing against loose change and a folded banknote." (From The Midnight Library by Matt Haig, September 2020)
"The detective knew that following the flow of cash was often the quickest way to uncover a criminal enterprise." (From a crime novel, specific title not available, general usage)
Newspapers:
"Small businesses in the city are increasingly preferring cash transactions to avoid digital payment fees." (From The Daily Nation)
"Analysts are predicting a shift back towards cash in some sectors as concerns about data privacy grow." (From The Wall Street Journal)
Online Publications:
"How to Go Cash-Free: A Guide to Digital Payments in the Modern Era." (From Lifehacker.co)
"The Central Bank is exploring options for a digital currency, potentially reducing the reliance on physical cash." (From Reuters.com)
Various Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:
Film: In the movie No Country for Old Men (November 2007), a central plot point revolves around a briefcase full of cash discovered in the desert.
Television Series: In an episode of Breaking Bad (January 2008 - September 2013), characters are frequently seen dealing with large sums of ill-gotten cash.
Music: The song "Money (That's What I Want)" by Barrett Strong (1959) famously features the lyric, "Your love gives me a thrill, but your love don't pay my bills, I need cash."
Video Games: In the game Grand Theft Auto V (September 2013), players accumulate and spend in-game cash to purchase vehicles, weapons, and property.
General Public Discourse:
"Do you have any cash on you? The ATM is broken." (Heard in everyday conversation)
"I prefer to pay with cash when I'm buying small things, it helps me keep track of my spending." (Common sentiment expressed by consumers)
"They offered me a good deal if I paid in cash, so I took it." (Anecdotal observation)
10 Quotes Using Cash
"Revenue is vanity, profit is sanity, but cash is king." (Unknown, popularized by Pehr G. Gyllenhammar)
"Never take your eyes off the cash flow because it's the lifeblood of business." (Richard Branson)
"Sometimes I am two people. Johnny is the nice one. Cash causes all the trouble. They fight." (Johnny Cash)
"Don't let your mouth write a check that your tail can't cash." (Bo Diddley)
"From birth to age 18 a girl needs good parents. From 18 to 35 she needs good looks. From 35 to 55 she needs a good personality. From 55 on, she needs good cash." (Sophie Tucker)
"Yesterday is a cancelled check. Today is cash on the line. Tomorrow is a promissory note." (Hank Stram)
"We were always focused on our profit and loss statement. But cash flow was not a regularly discussed topic. It was as if we were driving along, watching only the speedometer, when in fact we were running out of gas." (Michael Dell)
"Entrepreneurs believe that profit is what matters most in a new enterprise. But profit is secondary. Cash flow matters most." (Peter Drucker)
"Cash, though, is to a business as oxygen is to an individual: never thought about when it is present, the only thing in mind when it is absent." (Warren Buffett)
"Ah, take the Cash in hand and waive the Rest." (Edward Fitzgerald)
Etymology
The word "cash" has a couple of interesting twists in its history!
Originally, in the late 1500s, the English word "cash" didn't mean money itself, but rather a "money box" or a "chest" where money was kept. This comes from the Middle French word caisse, which then came from the Old Italian cassa, and even further back from the Latin word capsa, meaning "box." So, it was about the container for money before it was about the money itself.
However, around the same time, another influence came into play. The British in colonial India encountered a small copper coin called kāsu (from Tamil) or karsha (from Sanskrit), which was a unit of weight for precious metals. This Asian "cash" coin's name started to be used by Europeans, and it likely blended with the existing word for "money box," influencing the meaning to become the "money" we know today.
By the 18th century, the meaning of "cash" firmly settled on referring to physical money (coins and banknotes) in hand, and the older meaning of "money box" faded away. So, in short, it started as a box for money, then was influenced by the name of an Indian coin, and eventually evolved to mean the money itself.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Cash
Cash cow: A business or product that provides a steady income or profit.
Cash in hand: Payment made immediately and directly with physical money.
Cash flow: The total amount of money being transferred into and out of a business.
Cash crop: A crop produced for its commercial value rather than for use by the grower.
Cash out: To convert non-cash assets into cash, or to receive your winnings from gambling.
Cold hard cash: Actual physical money, emphasizing its tangible nature.
To cash in on something: To take advantage of a situation to make money.
To cash a check: To exchange a check for its monetary value.
Ready cash: Money that is immediately available.
No cash value: Something that cannot be exchanged for money.
Paying cash: To purchase something using physical money rather than credit or other means.
In cash: Referring to a payment made with physical money.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of cash from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
