cash
gb/kˈæʃ/ us/kˈæʃ/
A2
English
~ 1300
Senses
0 senses
Noun
A2
entity
1
Money as coins or bills
Money in the form of coins or paper notes, not credit cards or checks.
Usage pattern:
pay [someone] in cash
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'cash' with 'money' in general; 'cash' specifically means physical currency, not funds in a bank account.
Synonyms
currency (A more general term for money in circulation, including coins and banknotes.)
Antonyms
credit (Refers to payment made using borrowed funds or a credit card instead of physical money.)
Collocations
cash payment
|cash register
|cash flow
|cash transaction
|cash withdrawal
Themes
business
|daily life
|finance
|daily_life
Examples
- She paid for the groceries in cash.
- The shop offers a discount for cash purchases.
- I don't carry much cash with me.
- He withdrew some cash from the ATM.
- Please pay the driver in cash.
Learner examples
- I have some cash in my wallet.
- We paid cash for the tickets.
- Do you take cash or cards?
- I need to get some cash from the bank.
Verb
B1
action
2
Exchange check/voucher for money
To give a check or ticket to a bank or store and get money for it.
Usage pattern:
cash [a check/ticket]
Common mistake:
Some learners confuse 'cash' as a verb with 'withdraw'; 'cash' is specifically exchanging a non-cash item like a check for money.
Synonyms
redeem (Often used when exchanging vouchers, coupons, or points for money or goods.)
Antonyms
deposit (To put money into a bank account rather than taking it out as cash.)
Collocations
cash a check
|cash in a voucher
|cash travelers' checks
Themes
business
|finance
Examples
- I need to cash this check before the bank closes.
- She cashed her winning lottery ticket.
- You can cash travelers' checks at the airport.
- He cashed his paycheck and paid his bills.
Learner examples
- I will cash my check at the bank.
- She cashed her ticket yesterday.
- He wants to cash his paycheck.
Verb
B2
action
3
Sell investment for money
To change something you own, like shares or bonds, into money by selling it.
Usage pattern:
cash in [something]
Synonyms
liquidate (A formal term often used in business contexts for turning assets into cash.)
Antonyms
invest (To use money to buy assets instead of selling them for cash.)
Collocations
cash in stocks
|cash in bonds
|cash in investments
Themes
business
|finance
Examples
- She decided to cash in her shares before the market dropped.
- He cashed in his savings bonds to buy a car.
- The company cashed in some assets to pay debts.
Learner examples
- I will cash in my stocks now.
- She cashed in her bonds last year.
- They cashed in their shares to get money.
Grammar
Dictionary form
cash
IPA
GB/kˈæʃ/
US/kˈæʃ/
Syllables & stress
cash (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (cash)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: cash
- Plural: cash
Verb
- Base: cash
- 3rd Person Singular: cashes
- Present Participle: cashing
- Past: cashed
Word family
Forms
cashes
verb
cashing
verb
cashed
verb
Core family
cashier
noun
Related words
Negative and opposite forms
cashless
adjective
Expressions
cash in on
1/kˈæʃ ˈɪn ˈɔn/
idiom
Take advantage for profit
To get money or benefit from something, especially quickly or unfairly.
Examples
- The company is trying to cash in on the popularity of electric cars.
- He cashed in on his fame by starting a clothing line.
cash out
1/kˈæʃ ˈaʊt/
phrasal verb
Withdraw invested money as cash
To take your money out of an account or investment and get it as cash.
Examples
- She decided to cash out her retirement fund early.
- He cashed out his chips at the casino.
cold hard cash
1/kˈoʊld hˈɑɹd kˈæʃ/
idiom
informal
Physical spendable money
Money that you can hold and spend right away, not credit or promises.
Examples
- They offered to pay me in cold hard cash.
- Cold hard cash is still king at small markets.
pay cash
1/pˈeɪ kˈæʃ/
fixed phrase
Pay using physical currency
To give coins or paper notes to buy something instead of using a card or check.
Examples
- We decided to pay cash for the car.
- You get a discount if you pay cash.
cash cow
1/kˈæʃ kˈaʊ/
idiom
informal
Profitable business/product source
A business or product that makes a lot of profit regularly without much work.
Examples
- That software has been the company's cash cow for years.
- The franchise is their biggest cash cow.
cash cow
2/kˈæʃ kˈaʊ/
idiom
very profitable, low-effort product
A product or business that brings in a lot of money regularly, usually without needing much extra work or investment.
Examples
- The company’s streaming service has become its main cash cow.
- They treat the luxury brand as a cash cow to fund new projects.
- For many years, the soft drink division was the firm’s reliable cash cow.