Reverse Dictionary: AUCTION

NOUNS
► BABES the lowest order of ‘knock-outs,’ who are prevailed upon not to give opposing biddings at auctions, in consideration of their receiving a small sum (from one shilling to half-a-crown) and a certain quantity of beer → 1860 sl. (Bk.)
► CALAMITY old stuff, such as is bought at an auction → 1913 Amer. dial. (Bk.)
► CANT a sale by auction → 1790 Eng. dial.
► CANTING sale by auction → 1651 N. Eng. dial.
► DUTCH AUCTION an auction at which property is offered at a price beyond its value, the price being gradually lowered till someone accepts it as purchaser → 1859
► KNOCK-EM-DOWN-BUSINESS auctioneering → 20C Aust.
► LYTH-COOP an auction of household goods → 1681 obs.
► OUTCRY an auction → 1712 
► PULPIT an auctioneer’s desk or platform → 1710
► RIG a fraudulent auction; one of worthless goods at which genuine bidding is encouraged by spurious bids made by associates of the auctioneer; a mock auction → 1825 
► RIG-SALE a fraudulent auction; a mock auction → 1812 obs.
► RUN-OUT a fraudulent auction in which worthless goods are sold to genuine bidders → 1934 Brit. sl.
► SALE an auction → 1774 Amer. dial. 
► SALE BILL a broadsheet advertising an auction → 1982 Amer. dial.
► SALE CRYING a conducting an auction → 1944 Amer. dial.
► SUBHASTATION a public sale by auction → 1600 obs. exc. hist.
► UNCTION an auction → 1896 Sc.
► VANDOO ► VANDUE ► VENDOO an auction → 1861 Amer. dial.
► VENDUE an auction; a public sale → 1686 

NOUNS – PERSON
► ANGEL a greenhorn buyer at an auction who can be depended to buy unsound horses → 1964 Amer. sl.
► BACK-ROUPER the person who bids at a public sale merely to bring up the price → 1866 Sc.
► BARKER an auction-room or shop tout; a person who ‘barks’ at a cheap shop or show to entice people inside → 1699 
► BLACK-CAP a person who bids at an auction merely to raise the price → 1898 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► BONNET a person who bids for his own goods at a sale; one who is employed by the owner to bid for him → 1911 Sc. (Bk.)
► BUTTON a sham buyer at an auction employed to bid and raise the price of articles → 1851 sl.
► BUTTONER a person who bids at an auction in order to raise the price or to encourage others to bid; a dummy bidder → 1910 criminals’ sl.
► BYBIDDER a person at an auction who bids with the object of raising the prices → 1848 
► CAALER an auctioneer → 1892 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► CANTING-CALLER an auctioneer → 1898 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► CANT-MASTER an auctioneer → 1890 Eng. dial.
► CAPPER a dummy bidder whose function is either to start the bidding, or to run up the price of articles for sale → 1853 sl.
► CHAUNTER a hired bidder at a sale → 1890 sl. (Bk.)
► CLERK OF THE ROUP a person who notes the bids and buyers at an auction; an auctioneer’s clerk → 1869 Sc.
► COLONEL an auctioneer → 1913 Amer. dial. (Bk.)
► CRIER an agent who advertises or auctions another’s goods → 1556 obs.
► FUNK a perpetrator of any of various ruses to raise prices or otherwise cheat buyers at an auction → 1842 obs.
► HAND-SELLER an itinerant auctioneer who sells by ‘Dutch auction’ → 1851 Brit. obs.
► HIGH BIDDER the person who holds the highest bid at any time during an auction; one who wins an auction with the highest final bid → 1695 
► JAW-COVE an auctioneer → 1859 Amer. thieves’ sl.
► MOCK AUCTIONEER the auctioneer at a mock auction (a fraudulent auction of worthless goods at which genuine bidding is encouraged either by pretend bids made by associates of the auctioneer, or by the offer of free gifts or other incentives) → 1780 
► ODD-TRICK MAN a hanger-on at auctions → 19C sl.
► PUFF a mock bidder at auctions → 1785 sl.
► SALE-CALLER an auctioneer → 1944 Amer. dial.
► SALE-CRIER an auctioneer → 1881 Eng. dial.
► UNCTION BODY an auctioneer → 1933 Sc.
► UNCTIONEER an auctioneer → 1871 Sc.
► UNCTIONER an auctioneer → 1830 Sc. obs.
► VENDUE CRIER an auctioneer → 1778 
► VENDUE-MASTER an auctioneer → 1710 
► WANTER a person who goes to an auction intending to buy → 1887 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► WHITE BONNET a fictitious bidder at an auction → 1760 Sc. obs.

PHRASES
► BY INCH OF CANDLE refers to the fact that the bidding at a public auction was stopped when an inch-long candle, used as a timing device, burned out → 1985 US (Bk.)

VERBS
► BACK-ROUP to bid at a public sale merely to raise the price → 1866 Sc.
► BRING TO THE HAMMER to sell by auction → 1828
► CAD to bid at a public auction → 1898 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► CALL A SALE to preside at an auction → 1944 Amer. dial.
► CANT to dispose of by auction → 1720 chiefly Irish
► CRY to offer for sale by auction or by hawking in the streets → 1393 
► CRY OFF to sell at auction → 1723 Amer. dial.
► CRY OUT to sell out by auction → 1701 obs.
► GO UNDER THE HAMMER to be sold by auction → 1828 
► JOLLY to make a sham bid at an auction → M19 sl.
► KNOCK DOWN to sell something to a bidder at an auction → 1760 
► KNOCK OFF to sell at auction → 1973 Amer. dial.
► PUFF to bid on an item at an auction solely to increase the price that the final bidder must pay → 1846