(in bridge or certain other games) the competitive bidding to fix a contract that a player or players undertake to fulfill.
–verb (used with object)
3.
to sell by auction (often fol. by off): He auctioned off his furniture.
Origin: 1585–95; < L auctiōn- (s. of auctiō) an increase, esp. in the bidding at a sale, equiv. to auct(us) increased, ptp. of augēre (aug- increase + -tus ptp. suffix) + -iōn--ion
[awk-shuh
n] 