slave auction

English

Noun

slave auction (plural slave auctions)

1. A lighthearted fundraising event where people volunteer to be bid upon in an auction, and act as servants to the winning bidders for a short period afterwards.
   • 1999, Arthur Wright Combs, Ann B. Miser, Kathryn S. Whitaker, On Becoming a School Leader: A Person-centered Challenge, page 156:

     She wants to know if Mr. Howard will approve one of the student council's fund-raising activities: a slave auction. She didn't think there would be any problem with it, but the student council advisor thought it would be best if she and Chad, the activities chair, cleared everything with the principal "just in case."

   • 2022, Robert B. Everhart, Reading, Writing and Resistance:

     'I've got a super idea,' queried ^[sic] a ninth-grade girl. 'Why don't we have a slave auction like the high school does? We could auction off people to do a certain thing and then give the money for some cause or something.'

2. (historical) Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see slave,‎ auction. (an auction where slaves are sold)