going, going, gone

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Idioms and Phrases

No longer available, as in If you want this last doughnut speak up—going, going, gone! This expression, used by auctioneers to indicate the acceptance of a final bid for an item, is occasionally used more loosely, as in the example. It is beloved by baseball announcers when describing a home run as it approaches and clears the outfield wall. [c. 1800]

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Example Sentences

The auctioneer looked from one to the other, then he raised his hammer and slowly, still looking at the two—'Going—going—gone!'

From Project Gutenberg

Many times he repeated the words of the auctioneer, that had made such a deep impression on him: “Going—going—gone!”

From Project Gutenberg

Word of the Day

April 24, 2024gallimaufry

[gal-uh-maw-free ]

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

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