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ready cash

ready cash

2 2.7
Money in cash that you can use immediately
  • noun
translation icon : efectivo disponible
  • I prefer to keep some ready cash on hand for emergencies.
  • need for ready cash

Examples

  • If you're hard-pressed for ready cash, it won't cost you a nickel.

  • Someone should set up a legal defense fund for those Chick-fil-A owners who both want to build their restaurants and could use some ready cash to help with start-up costs.

    Blog text (13)
  • I prefer to have some ready cash.

  • All Meg ever wanted was enough ready cash to give her the good times.

    Fiction book (1996)
  • I got 300 bucks ready cash in the bank.

  • But they don't have any ready cash, either.

    Fiction book (1994)
  • If you've got ready cash, that can make it work.

    Blog text (2)
  • Well, I've gone over everything, and I haven't a cent of ready cash in any of the restaurants.

  • He's starting in his own backyard: the state of Wisconsin is considering the sale of DNR land for some ready cash.

    Blog text (16)
  • Strapped for ready cash, they cleverly decided that cooperation with Western powers and Russia in economic and military matters was far more prudent—and profitable—than defiance.

    Academic text (2003)

Synonyms

hard cash
vsready cash
10 2.7

Money in the form of bills and coins, not cards or electronic payments

is focused on immediate availability not payment method
funds
vsready cash
5 1.0

Money available to spend for a specific purpose

is narrower, focusing on immediate physical money available to use
cold cash
vsready cash
3 3.9

Money in notes and coins that you can use right away

is similar but focuses on general immediate availability
cash in hand
vsready cash
3 3.4

Money you can use immediately

is similar but emphasizes physical cash form
1 4.5

Extra cash you can spend

is specifically about cash on hand rather than general spending power
ready money
vsready cash
3.7

Cash you keep for immediate use

is the same meaning but uses different wording

How Available

ready cash
2 2.7
cash in hand
3 3.4
petty cash
11 3.2
savings
606 1.0
investment
3.2

Surface Forms

ready cash singular
ready cashes plural

Morphology

ready + cash

The meaning 'money immediately available for use' is directly and transparently derived from combining 'ready' (available immediately) with 'cash' (physical money). This adjective+noun composition is a regular, cross-linguistic pattern and would be easily inferable by a B1 learner who knows both constituents.

Etymology

Ready cash comes from the image of coins or notes kept close at hand, like money in your pocket or a shop drawer that is ready to be used as cash. That's why it means 'money available immediately'.