What Does โBuy sb out of sthโ Mean?
โBuy sb out of sthโ means to pay someone money to take their share or interest in something, usually a business or agreement, so they no longer have involvement.
Introduction
The phrase โbuy sb out of sthโ is commonly used in business and legal contexts. It describes the action when one person pays another to gain full control or ownership of something, such as a company, property, or contract. The โsbโ stands for somebody, and โsthโ means something. Understanding the โbuy sb out of sth meaningโ helps learners recognize when someone is removing another personโs stake by purchasing it. This expression is useful not only in business but also in everyday situations where ownership or responsibility is transferred through payment.
Quick Info Box
- Phrasal verb: buy somebody out of something
- Type: Transitive
- Level: B2
- Short meaning: Pay someone to take their share or responsibility away
Structure (Grammar Rules)
โBuy sb out of sthโ is a separable phrasal verb. This means you can place the object (someone) between โbuyโ and โout,โ or after โout of.โ
- buy somebody out of something
- buy out somebody of something
Examples:
- They bought him out of the company.
- They bought out him of his shares.
However, the first form is more common and natural.
How to Use โBuy sb out of sthโ?
Use this phrasal verb when describing a situation where one person or group wants to gain full control or ownership by paying another person to give up their part. It often appears in business deals, partnerships, or contracts.
You can use it in past, present, and future tenses:
- Past: She bought him out of the business last year.
- Present: We are trying to buy our partner out of the project.
- Future: They will buy him out of the agreement soon.
Examples
- The company decided to buy their partner out of the contract.
- After disagreements, he was bought out of the business by his co-founder.
- They offered to buy me out of my share in the property.
- We want to buy her out of the investment before she leaves the country.
- Buying him out of the partnership was the best solution for everyone.
These examples show โbuy sb out of sth in a sentenceโ used in different contexts.
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect: I bought out from him the company.
Correct: I bought him out of the company. - Incorrect: They buy out the company from her.
Correct: They bought her out of the company. - Incorrect: He bought out the business.
Correct: He bought his partner out of the business.
Differences / Synonyms
Similar phrasal verbs include:
- Buy out โ To purchase all shares or rights from someone, often without specifying โsbโ and โsth.โ
- Buy off โ To pay someone to stop them from acting against you, often with a negative connotation.
- Buy up โ To purchase a large amount or all of something available.
Buy sb out of sth specifically means paying a particular person to give up their share or responsibility. It is more personal and focused on ownership transfer.
Common Collocations
- buy someone out of a business
- buy a partner out of a company
- buy a shareholder out of shares
- buy someone out of a contract
- buy someone out of a property
Related Phrasal Verbs
Here are related phrasal verbs of buy sb out of sth:
Real-life Dialogue
Anna: I heard you bought your partner out of the company. How did that go?
Ben: It was simple. I paid him a fair amount to buy him out of the business.
Anna: So now youโre the only owner?
Ben: Yes, I have full control now.
Practice
Choose the correct sentence:
- A) She bought out her friend of the project.
- B) She bought her friend out of the project.
- C) She bought out of her friend the project.
Answer: B) She bought her friend out of the project.
FAQs
- Q: Can โbuy sb out of sthโ be used outside business?
A: Yes, it can be used in any situation involving buying someoneโs share or responsibility. - Q: Is โbuy sb out of sthโ formal?
A: It is mostly used in formal or business contexts but can appear in everyday speech. - Q: Can I say โbuy out sb of sthโ?
A: Yes, but โbuy sb out of sthโ is more common and natural. - Q: Whatโs the difference between โbuy sb outโ and โbuy sb offโ?
A: โBuy sb outโ means to pay for someoneโs share; โbuy sb offโ means to bribe someone. - Q: Does โbuy sb out of sthโ always involve money?
A: Yes, it implies paying money to take over someoneโs share.
