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Glite Dictionary
to bring to the hammer

to bring to the hammer

9.5
Offer something for sale at an auction
  • phrasal verb
  • Jargon
translation icon : sacar a subasta
  • They brought the painting to the hammer last week.

Examples

  • The art dealer plans to bring to the hammer a selection of rare works next week.

  • The company decided to bring to the hammer several rare antiques to raise funds.

  • After her death, the entire estate was brought to the hammer by her heirs.

  • They plan to bring to the hammer their old collection of paintings next month.

  • Can you bring the vase to the hammer tomorrow?

  • She decided to bring to the hammer the family heirlooms at the upcoming auction.

  • They are going to bring to the hammer their vintage car collection in hopes of making a profit.

Synonyms

to auction
vsto bring to the hammer
53 3.6

To sell something at a public sale where people bid and the highest bidder buys it

focuses on offering for sale rather than completing the sale to buyers
to auction off
vsto bring to the hammer
24 3.5

To sell something to the person who offers the most money at a public sale

means offering for sale instead of final disposal by sale
to put up
vsto bring to the hammer
18 3.5

Offer something for sale at an auction

is the common wording for offering at a public sale rather than final sale
to put on the block
vsto bring to the hammer
  • US
5.6

To offer something for sale, often at an auction

is the exact offer for sale meaning rather than broader selling actions

Antonyms

to keep
∞ 1.0

To store something for later use

to withdraw
159 3.5

To take money or things out of a place where they are kept

Surface Forms

bring to the hammer infinitive
bringing to the hammer present participle
brings to the hammer third person singular
brought to the hammer past
brought to the hammer past participle

Morphology

bring + to + the + hammer

The expression links the sale-related sense of 'bring' (to be sold for) with 'hammer' as the auctioneer's gavel, so a learner who knows those specific senses can infer it means being sold at auction. However, using 'hammer' to mean an auction/gavel is a cultural/metaphorical extension that many B1 learners will not automatically recognise, making the relation only partially transparent.

Etymology

Bring to the hammer comes from old auction rooms where the auctioneer used a small hammer to mark the end of a sale. So, to bring something 'to the hammer' meant to put it up for sale, which is why the phrase now means 'to offer something for sale at an auction'.