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Glite Dictionary
to gazump

to gazump

1 9.9
To refuse to complete an agreed house sale to accept a higher offer
  • verb
  • /ɡəˈzʌmp/
  • Jargon
: retractar
  • We thought the house was ours, but we were gazumped by someone offering more money.

Examples

  • The seller decided to gazump us at the last minute, leaving us without a home.

  • Buyers are often frustrated when they are suddenly gazumped during the final stages of purchasing property.

  • Don't gazump me after we've agreed on the price!

  • The seller gazumped the first buyer last week.

  • We thought we had a deal, but the seller gazumped us by accepting a higher offer from another buyer.

  • Many buyers worry that they will be gazumped if they wait too long to secure their mortgage.

  • After agreeing on a price, we received the bad news that the seller had gazumped us for a better offer.

Synonyms

to retrade
vsto gazump
  • Jargon
8.7

To try to change the agreed price or terms after a deal

refuses to complete a property sale to accept a higher offer

Antonyms

to complete
963 1.0

To finish something or make it whole

Surface Forms

gazump infinitive
gazumped past
gazumped past participle
gazumping present participle
gazumps third person singular

Etymology

Gazump began in Britain in the 1800s as slang for tricking someone in a house sale, and its exact origin is unclear. A helpful way to remember gazump is to think of someone jumping the deal—they 'take a better offer' at the last minute, so to gazump someone is to refuse the earlier sale and leave them without the house.