Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • transitive verb To underestimate or understate (a cost) deliberately.

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[From the card game of the same name.]

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Examples

  • FRANKFURT— Volkswagen AG took a major step toward forging a European truck alliance that could take on the world's biggest truck makers— Daimler AG and Volvo AB—by obtaining a 55.9% voting stake and 53.7% of the share capital in MAN SE through a low-ball offer.

    VW Moves on Trucks Christoph Rauwald 2011

  • FRANKFURT— Volkswagen AG took a major step toward forging a European truck alliance that could take on the world's biggest truck makers— Daimler AG and Volvo AB—by obtaining a 55.9% voting stake and 53.7% of the share capital in MAN SE through a low-ball offer.

    VW Moves on Trucks Christoph Rauwald 2011

  • The city's latest salvo in its "discussion" with the reluctant owners of the prime site for the stadium project (the Biggi family) has been to dump a low-ball appraisal on them.

    Beaverton playing hardball for Paulson (Jack Bog's Blog) 2009

  • If the union will allow the company to low-ball all future employees, the company will promise not to penalize any existing employees.

    David Macaray: As a Country, We Are in Free-Fall David Macaray 2011

  • Some local stations and even networks try to low-ball artists.

    Daniel Grant: The Hectic Life of the Courtroom Artist Daniel Grant 2011

  • If that's still the rule and Beaverton goes to the mat with a low-ball appraisal, this whole shebang could get expensive indeed.

    Beaverton playing hardball for Paulson (Jack Bog's Blog) 2009

  • For starters, that $1 trillion price is a low-ball estimate, covering only six – not ten – years of subsidies that don't begin until 2014.

    Health Care Repeal Won't Add to the Deficit Douglas Holtz-Eakin 2011

  • Also, there were large gaps between the average and lowest prices accepted for two of the bonds, suggesting some low-ball bids.

    Fiesta, Not Fiasco, For Euro Government Bonds Richard Barley 2012

  • In the takeover battle for ProLogis European Properties , the offers submitted so far amount to low-ball bids, according to analysts.

    ProLogis Bidders Aim Low William Boston 2011

  • If the union will allow the company to low-ball all future employees, the company will promise not to penalize any existing employees.

    David Macaray: As a Country, We Are in Free-Fall David Macaray 2011

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