Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary -- Volume AB

Au"burn (?), a. [OE. auburne blonde, OF. alborne, auborne, fr. LL. alburnus whitish, fr. L. albus white. Cf. Alburn.]

1. Flaxen-colored. [Obs.] Florio.

2. Reddish brown.

His auburn locks on either shoulder flowed.
Dryden.

Au·che"ni·um (?), n. [NL., fr. Gr. ?, fr. ? the neck.] (Zoöl.) The part of the neck nearest the back.

Auc"ta·ry (?), n. [L. auctarium.] That which is superadded; augmentation. [Obs.] Baxter.

Auc"tion (?), n. [L. auctio an increasing, a public sale, where the price was called out, and the article to be sold was adjudged to the last increaser of the price, or the highest bidder, fr. L. augere, auctum, to increase. See Augment.]

1. A public sale of property to the highest bidder, esp. by a person licensed and authorized for the purpose; a vendue.

2. The things sold by auction or put up to auction.

Ask you why Phryne the whole auction buys ?
Pope.

In the United States, the more prevalent expression has been "sales at auction," that is, by an increase of bids (Lat. auctione). This latter form is preferable.

-- Dutch auction. The public offer of property at a price beyond its value, then gradually lowering the price, till some one accepts it as purchaser. P. Cyc.

-- Auction bridge. A variety of the game of bridge in which the players, beginning with the dealer, bid for the privilege of naming the trump and playing with the dummy for that deal, there being heavy penalties for a player's failure to make good his bid. The score value of each trick more than six taken by the successful bidder is as follows: when the trump is spades, 2; clubs, 6; diamonds, 7; hearts, 8; royal spades (lilies), 9; and when the deal is played with no trump, 10.