Brewer's: Dumb-bidding

A sale by auction effected thus: The owner fixes an upset-price on an article, writes it on a slip of paper, and covers the slip up. The article is then offered to the bidders, and withdrawn unless some bid reaches the upset price.

Related Content Allusions Foreign Words and Phrases Latin and Greek Word Elements Names: Their Origins and Meanings Old Testament Names Mythology Ancient Greek Literature & Mythology The Bible (King James version) The Koran (translation by J. M. Rodwell) Shakespeare's Plays Tales from Shakespeare (Charles and Mary Lamb) Frequently Misspelled Words Frequently Mispronounced Words Easily Confused Words Writing & Language