HomeServicesBlogDictionariesContactSpanish Course
← Back to search

Meaning of hire purchase | Babel Free

Noun CEFR B2

Definitions

A method of purchasing an item, where the buyer hires it and takes possession of it and pays regular instalments. Ownership is only transferred on payment of the final amount. Abbreviated as HP.

Commonwealth, Ireland, UK, countable, uncountable

Equivalents

Cymraeg ar strap
Bahasa Indonesia beli sewa
日本語 割賦
Nederlands huurkoop
Polski na raty

Examples

Hector Puncheon was a young man with a hearty and healthy digestion. He had heard, of course, of sodium bicarb, and its virtues, but only as a wealthy man hears of hire-purchase.”
Maggie Thatcher, you can't match her, she's the darling of us all. She's the curse of the Irish nation, Fine Gael and Fianna Fail. She's destroyed me hire purchase and she's put me on the dole. If I could only get my hands on her, I'd kick her up the hole!”

CEFR level

B2
Upper Intermediate
This word is part of the CEFR B2 vocabulary — upper intermediate level.
See all B2 English words →

See also

Learn this word in context

See hire purchase used in real conversations inside our free language course.

Start Free Course

Know this word better than we do? Language is a living thing — help us keep it growing. Collaborate with Babel Free