cash-out
UK[ˈkæʃ aʊt]US[ˈkæʃ ˌaʊt]
v
To convert an asset, such as shares or property, into money.
v
To withdraw money from an account or obtain money from a source of funds.
n
The act or process of converting an asset into money or withdrawing funds.
Morpheme Breakdown
cash
out
cash
money
out
outward action
Etymology
The term 'cash-out' is a modern financial compound verb formed from two native English elements. 'Cash' has a journey from Latin capsa, meaning a box or receptacle, through Italian and French, where it came to signify the money box itself and then the money contained within it. 'Out' is a fundamental Germanic adverb of direction. Combined in the mid-20th century, particularly in the context of finance and gambling, the term logically describes the action of moving value 'out' of an investment or account and into the tangible, spendable form of 'cash'. It encapsulates the final, liquidating step in a transaction.
Analysis
Structure: cash (money) + out (outward action)
- cash: From Middle French casse (money box), from Italian cassa, from Latin capsa (box, case). In this compound, it functions as the core noun denoting money in the form of coins or banknotes.
- out: From Old English ūt (out, outside, away). In this compound, it functions as an adverbial particle indicating the direction or result of an action, here meaning to obtain or extract money.
Examples
The investor decided to cash out her shares when the stock price peaked.
You can cash out your winnings at the counter any time before the race starts.
The early cash-out option allows you to withdraw funds before the investment term ends.