Definition of: "a quick buck" with explanation and origin
Definition of: a quick buck with explanation and origin? Meaning of a quick buck with examples in English idiom dictionary.
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Definition of: "a quick buck" with explanation and origin
a quick buck
a quick buck
also, a fast buck
Meaning
- to make money quickly.
- to make money in a dishonest manner.
- to earn money quickly and fast, usually in an unethical way.
- to earn an amount of money by completing a favour for another individual.
- an offer to help someone make money quickly for taking on a job.
Examples in Sentences
- He decided to make a quick buck by selling his CD collection.
- It was a fast buck scheme that ended up costing people a lot of money.
- Making a quick buck can help people to pay their bills when they need to.
- People will look to make a fast buck when they need something.
- Jack is trying to make a fast buck by selling burgers on a busy street.
- I like her because she never likes to make a quick buck through dishonesty.
- You can’t make a fast buck for so long using scams.
Origin
For many people, idioms and phrases such as “fast buck” or “quick buck” are difficult to comprehend unless they have a point of reference, since, as common proverbs, both these phrases could allude to a swift male deer if one is not clear about the meaning. The etymology, however, does show that these two phrases were coined back in the mid-1900s and have always been related to the practice of making money. Most people will grow up hearing this idiom more than a few times throughout the course of their life, since money is a very important aspect of life and this phrase is about making money.
The Origins of a quick buck
Money, WorkEnglish
Related Dictionary
- English Definition & Meaning Dictionary
- English Idioms and phrases Dictionary
- Dictionnaire Français
- Dictionnaire d'expressions idiomatiques et de phrases en français
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English Idioms and phrases
An idiom is a common word or phrase with a figurative, non-literal meaning that is understood culturally and differs from what its composite words' denotations would suggest; i.e. the words together have a meaning that is different from the dictionary definitions of the individual words (although some idioms do retain their literal meanings – see the example "kick the bucket" below). By another definition, an idiom is a speech form or an expression of a given language that is peculiar to itself grammatically or cannot be understood from the individual meanings of its elements.[3] For example, an English speaker would understand the phrase "kick the bucket" to mean "to die" – and also to actually kick a bucket. Furthermore, they would understand when each meaning is being used in context.
To evoke the desired effect in the listener, idioms require a precise replication of the phrase: not even articles can be used interchangeably (e.g. "kick a bucket" only retains the literal meaning of the phrase but not the idiomatic meaning).
Idioms should not be confused with other figures of speech such as metaphors, which evoke an image by use of implicit comparisons (e.g., "the man of steel"); similes, which evoke an image by use of explicit comparisons (e.g., "faster than a speeding bullet"); or hyperbole, which exaggerates an image beyond truthfulness (e.g., "more powerful than a locomotive"). Idioms are also not to be confused with proverbs, which are simple sayings that express a truth based on common sense or practical experience.
