Definition

1. Noun:
   • Immediately available money; physical currency or liquid funds: "Cash in hand" refers to money that is physically present and readily available for immediate use, such as banknotes and coins. It often implies funds that are not tied up in investments, bank accounts requiring notice for withdrawal, or other less liquid assets.

Usage

• The term is typically used to describe the liquid assets of a business, an individual's ready money, or funds available for immediate transactions.
• It can be used in both formal contexts (like accounting) and informal contexts.

Examples

• Noun:
  • The small business keeps a significant amount of cash in hand for daily operations.
  • After selling his old car, he had a lot of cash in hand to fund his trip.
  • The report shows the company's cash in hand has decreased this quarter.

Advanced Usage

• Accounting/Tax Context: In formal reporting, "cash in hand" is a line item on a balance sheet, representing the most liquid asset.
  • The auditor checked the petty cash in hand against the ledger.
• Informal/Idiomatic Use: Sometimes used to imply payment received directly, especially in cash, possibly without a formal record.
  • He was paid cash in hand for the weekend work.

Variants and Related Words

• Cash (n): Money in the form of coins or banknotes.
• Liquid assets (n): Assets that can be quickly converted into cash with minimal impact on their value.
• Petty cash (n): A small amount of cash kept on hand for minor expenses.
• Ready money (n): Another term for immediately available cash.

Synonyms

• Ready cash
• Liquid funds
• Immediate funds
• Physical currency

Notes on Meaning

• The phrase specifically emphasizes the physical availability and immediacy of the money. It is not merely a synonym for "wealth," which can include non-liquid assets like property or stocks.
• In some contexts, particularly informal or colloquial speech, "cash in hand" can carry a connotation of unreported income or payment "off the books." The intended meaning is usually clear from the context.

Noun

1. assets in the form of money