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cash in

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cash in (on something)

Fig. to earn a lot of money at something; to make a profit at something. This is a good year for drug stocks, and you can cash in on it if you're smart. It's too late to cash in on that particular clothing fad.

See also: cash

cash (one's chips) in

 

1. Lit. to turn in one's gaming tokens or poker chips when one quits playing. When you leave the game, you should cash your chips in. Cash in your chips before you go. I'm going to cash in.

2. Fig. to quit [anything], as if one were cashing in gaming tokens; to leave or go to bed. I guess I'll cash my chips in and go home. Well, it's time to cash in my chips and go home. I'm really tired. I'm going to cash in.

3. and Cash one's checks in Euph. to die; to finish the "game of life." There's a funeral procession. Who cashed his chips in? Poor Fred cashed in his chips last week.

See also: cash

cash something in

to exchange something with cash value for the amount of money it is worth. I should have cashed my insurance policy in years ago. It's time to cash in your U. S. savings bonds.

See also: cash

cash something in (for something)

to exchange a security for money; to convert a foreign currency to one's own currency; to turn gaming tokens or poker chips in for money. I cashed the bonds in for a cashier's check. I cashed in my bonds for their face value.

See also: cash

cash in (on something)

to make money doing something Companies developing this technology are not necessarily cashing in. Criminals cannot cash in on their crimes by selling their stories to the newspapers.

See also: cash

cash in

1. Settle an account, close a matter, quit, as in I'm simply going to cash in and leave, or The countries of the former Soviet Union have cashed in. [Late 1800s]

2. Profit handsomely, as in When the stock price went up, we really cashed in. This phrase often is extended to cash in on, meaning to take advantage of. [Early 1900s]

3. Also, cash in one's chips. Die, as in If this new treatment fails, Bob may be cashing in his chips before long. This usage was a transfer from quitting a poker game. [Slang; late 1800s]

See also: cash

cash in

v.

1. To exchange something for its equivalent value in currency: After winning a big hand at the blackjack table, I cashed in my chips. As soon as I got to Italy, I cashed my traveler's checks in and went shopping.

2. To withdraw from some venture by or as if by settling one's account: The business was starting to lose money, and I cashed in before the other investors noticed.

3. To exploit some situation in order to profit financially from it: Gas retailers cashed in during the gasoline shortage by raising prices.

4. Slang To die: My uncle finally cashed in after a long illness.

See also: cash