U.S. and W. Indies. Also 7 vendu, 9 vendoo, vandew. [a. Du. vendu, † vendue, a. older F. (now dial.) vendue sale, f. vendre to sell.]
1. A public sale; an auction. Freq. in phr. at (a) vendue, by vendue: see first group of quots.
(a) 1686. Ann. Albany (1850), II. 93. Which said lotts of grounde ye common councill will dispose of at a publike vendu or out cry.
1748. Smollett, R. Random, xxxvi. I. 324. I went ashore [at Port Royal], and having purchased a laced waistcoat … at a vendue [1760 a sale], made a swaggering figure.
1757. Woolman, Jrnl., iv. (1840), 45. When estates are sold by executors at vendue.
1776. Pennsylv. Even. Post, 25 May, 263/2. To be sold by public vendue,… a large quantity of Ship Timber.
1804. Europ. Mag., XLV. 20/2. I was … knocked down at vendue to old ’Squire Kegworth.
1898. Parmenter, Hist. Pelham, Mass., 167. Bidding off the poor to support at the inverted vendue, or lowest bidder.
(b) 1759. J. Adams, Diary, Wks. 1850, II. 73. I am to attend a vendue this afternoon at Lambert’s.
1781. Mrs. Abigail Adams, in Fam. Lett. (1876), 402. The retailing vendues, which are tolerated here, ruin the shop-keepers.
1806. Pinckard, Tour W. Indies, II. 325. A Dutch ‘vendue’ of slaves.
1836. Haliburton, Clockm., Ser. I. xxvii. Is it a vandew, or a weddin,… or what is it?
1897. W. D. Howells, Landlord at Lion’s Head, 6. [To] have a vendue, and sell out everything before the snow flew.
2. attrib. and Comb., as vendue-crier, master, room, store.
1710. S. Carolina Stat. (1837), II. 348. The person herein after appointed publick vendue master, or his deputy.
1761. Descr. S. Carolina, 33. There is also … a Receiver-general of the Quit-rents, a Vendue Master, and Naval Officer.
1798. Bay’s Rep. (1809), I. 103. The goods were in a vendue store, a common market, a public place known and established in law.
1799. The Aurora (Philad.) 10 April (Thornton). By profession he is a vendue crier. He said he would cry the vendue in spite of the Standing Army.
1828. Life Planter Jamaica, 180. Marly entered the vendue room.
1828–32. Webster, Vendue-master,… an auctioneer.
