Meanings
- USidiomaticuncountableMoney in the form of paper currency or coins, paid immediately at the time and place of a transaction: cash only (no credit), and at the point of sale.
"[W]e're selling, to the highest bidder, and for cash on the barrel head. . . . Cash in hand, no checks accepted."
1938 September 1, Charles B. Parmer, “Serial Story: Photo Finish—Twelve”, in Telegraph-Herald, Iowa, US, retrieved 23 Jul 2013, page 112 more examples
[I]n 1946 the U.S. exported $2,166 million worth of food. . . . Most of this ($1,354 million) was paid for, cash on the barrelhead. But $628 million was the U.S. contribution to UNRRA stocks, and $184 million went through Lend-Lease.
1947 March 31, Foreign Relations: Potent Weapon, TimeIn return for support of an Iraq invasion, Turkey wanted—and got—immediate aid, cash on the barrelhead, rather than mere assurances about future help.
2003 February 25, Paul Krugman, “Threats, Promises and Lies”, in New York Times, retrieved 22 Jul 2013Synonyms: cold cash, hard cash, cold hard cash
Synonyms & antonyms
nounMoney in the form of paper currency or coins, paid immediately at the time and place of a transaction: cash only (no credit), and at the point of sale.
Origin
On the American frontier, barrels were employed as desks or tables with which to conduct transactions.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Polish natychmiastowa płatność gotówką na miejscu transakcji
- natychmiastowa płatność gotówką na miejscu transakcjiTranslations
Russian де́ньги на бо́чку
- де́ньги на бо́чку (dénʹgi na bóčku)Translations
Spanish a tocateja (colloquial; usu. preceded by pagar)
- a tocateja (colloquial; usu. preceded by pagar)Translations
Cite this entry
cash on the barrelhead. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cash%20on%20the%20barrelhead
“cash on the barrelhead.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cash%20on%20the%20barrelhead. Accessed November 5, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “cash on the barrelhead,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cash%20on%20the%20barrelhead.
Source: cash on the barrelhead on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.