buy outverb

• 1

  to purchase the entire stock or extent of something

  • […] the present Earl had no colour or pretence of right to the estate; and yet the appellants had thought fit to buy him out, […]
  • […] and when he complained met with the reply that if he did not like his partner's methods he could either clear out or buy him out.
• 2

  to purchase the ownership of a company

• 3

  To close someone's contract by paying him or her a sum of money, the terms of which are often stated in the contract itself.

  • A standard NHL contract, agreed to by both players and owners, has what is called a buy-out clause. If a player's performance deteriorates to the point that he is put on waivers and there are no takers, meaning nobody in the NHL wants him, his club can buy him out at one-third of what's left on the contract.
• 4

  To gain release for (a person) from military service by payment of money.

• 5

  datedslangTo avoid a punishment or escape a difficult situation.

  • You always manage to buy out at the last second.