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Cashing out

Posted by Bob on July 17, 2005

In Reply to: To splash out posted by James Briggs on July 16, 2005

: : : : : To 'splash out' on something is an expression used, at least in the UK, to indicate that something extravagant has been done, or is planned. "I'm going to splash out on a new car/pair of shoes/birthday party, etc". Why 'splash out'? It seems an odd way of saying this. Any ideas?

: : : : "Make a splash" is common to the U.K. and U.S., and although perhaps a bit dated is still in use. The OED records its appearance in print as early as 1804.
: : : : To "splash out," in the sense of spending money freely, even ostentatiously, is a shade less obvious (because of the "out"). "Splashing money around" was in common usage in the last century, but "splashing out" (tossing the money about, sometimes on something in particular) seems to be an Anglicism. It IS an odd expression, but no less logical than dozens of others. Why, for instance, "I'm going to cash out"? Perhaps that's not the best example, but I'm sure there are others. SS

: : : Thanks SS. The saying may be an Anglicism, but 'to cash out' seems very strange to me - perhaps mainly US. I've never heard it.

: : To cash out is mainly U.S., only about 35 years old, and means to convert non-currency assets into money (like stocks and bonds and poker chips). But don't trust me on this one. I don't have much familiarity with non-currency assets, or currency either, for that matter. SS

: Thanks again SS. We use 'to cash UP', meaning to check the till on a regular basis and then probably take any surplus to the bank.

Cashing out (stock market holdings or poker chips) is more than converting to cash. It's converting to cash because you're getting out of the game, withdrawing from the competition.

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