buy out from under

verb

To purchase (something) that (somebody else) intends to buy.

“He bought out from under his legal problems.”

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Meanings

verbbuy out from under (third-person singular simple present buys out from under, present participle buying out from under, simple past and past participle bought out from under)

present singular third person buys out from under · participle present buying out from under · participle past bought out from under · past bought out from under

  1. ditransitiveTo purchase (something) that (somebody else) intends to buy.

    We better make an offer before somebody buys the house out from under us.

  2. transitiveTo make a payment to escape from or cancel (a problem).

    He bought out from under his legal problems.

Cite this entry
APA

buy out from under. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/buy%20out%20from%20under

MLA

“buy out from under.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/buy%20out%20from%20under. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “buy out from under,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/buy%20out%20from%20under.

Source: buy out from under on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.