Definition

Noun: A sale of miscellaneous second-hand goods, typically donated by members of a community or organization, held to raise funds for a charitable cause or a specific group. The items are usually sold at low prices.

Usage

A "jumble sale" is an event, often organized by schools, churches, or community groups. The term is primarily used in British English; the equivalent in American English is typically a "rummage sale" or "yard sale" (though a yard sale is usually for personal, not donated, items). It describes the event itself. - The local church is holding a jumble sale on Saturday to raise money for the new roof. - We spent the morning sorting through bags of clothes for the school jumble sale.

Advanced Usage

• "to hold a jumble sale": to organize and run such an event.
  • The scout group holds an annual jumble sale to fund their camping trip.
• "jumble sale finds": refers to items discovered or purchased at such a sale.
  • Her vintage coat was one of her best jumble sale finds.

Variants and Related Words

• Rummage sale (n): The common American English equivalent for a sale of donated miscellaneous items.
• Car boot sale (n): A British event where individuals sell items from the boots (trunks) of their cars, which may include second-hand goods but is not exclusively for donated charity items.
• Charity shop (n): A permanent retail store selling donated second-hand goods to raise money for charity, as opposed to a one-off sale event.

Synonyms

• Rummage sale: (US) A sale of assorted second-hand articles, often for charity.
• White elephant sale: (US) A sale of second-hand items, often where the items are considered quirky or unwanted.
• Bring-and-buy sale: A similar event where people bring items to sell and the proceeds go to a cause.

Related Phrases

• "Jumble": As a noun, it can mean a disordered mixture or muddle of things, which is the origin of the term "jumble sale," referring to the mixed, unsorted nature of the goods for sale.
  • The drawer was a jumble of old keys and buttons.

Noun

1. a sale of donated articles