Reading Theme:
On Sale Meaning: Discounted or Available? (2 meaning)
Meaning 1：discounted (on sale)
on sale
/ɑːn seɪl/
adj./adv.
Offered at a lower price than usual for a limited time.
discounted
➕
/dɪˈskaʊntɪd/
adj./adv.
Products or services offered at a reduced price for a limited period to encourage purchase.
📘 Details & Usage
📖 Root Explanation
'on' (state) + 'sale' (from OE 'sellan' to give/sell) = offered at a discount.
💡 Mnemonic
Think of a red 'SALE' sign; it's 'on' the item, meaning it's cheaper.
📖 Example
I bought this pair of jeans because they were on sale for half price.
I bought this pair of jeans because they were on sale for half price.
🔗 Collocations
go on sale – to become available at a discounted price
put on sale – to offer at a discount
on sale now – currently being sold at a reduced price
🔄 Synonyms
discounted (adj.) – reduced in price
reduced (adj.) – lowered in cost
marked down (adj.) – offered at a lower price than usual
🚫 Antonyms
full price (n.) – the regular price without discount
regular price (n.) – the standard price before any reduction
premium (adj.) – higher than standard price
📖 Cultural Story
The phrase 'on sale' dates back to the 1500s, originally meaning 'available for purchase'. In modern retail, it specifically denotes a temporary price reduction to attract customers.
Meaning 2：available (on sale)
on sale
/ɑːn seɪl/
adj./adv.
Available for people to buy in a shop.
available
➕
/əˈveɪləbəl/
adj./adv.
Items that are offered for purchase in a store or online, often referring to newly released products.
📘 Details & Usage
📖 Example
The new model of this phone will be on sale starting next Friday.
The new model of this phone will be on sale starting next Friday.
🔗 Collocations
on sale exclusively – available for purchase only from a specific source
on sale worldwide – available for purchase across the globe
on sale starting – becomes available for purchase beginning on a certain date
🔄 Synonyms
available (adj.) – able to be obtained or purchased
purchasable (adj.) – able to be bought
sold (adj.) – offered for exchange for money
🚫 Antonyms
sold out (adj.) – no longer available because all units have been bought
unavailable (adj.) – not able to be obtained
out of stock (adj.) – temporarily not available for purchase
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