Shares
/ʃɛərz/
Definitions
2 meaningsA portion of ownership in a company or financial asset, often represented by a certificate and entitling the holder to a proportion of the company's profits.
/ʃɛərz/
A unit of ownership in a company or financial asset.
He owns a significant number of shares in the company.
💡 Simply: Imagine you and your friends are buying a pizza. Each slice is a 'share' of the pizza. If you own some company shares, you own a little piece of the company!
👶 For kids: A share is like a piece of something that belongs to a company, like a piece of cake.
More Examples
The stock market experienced fluctuations in the value of shares.
Many people invest in shares to generate income.
How It's Used
"The investor bought shares in the technology company."
"The company announced a new stock offering, allowing investors to buy shares."
To give or allow someone to have or use something, to divide something among a number of people.
/ʃɛərz/
To divide or distribute something among multiple people.
We should share the workload to finish the project on time.
💡 Simply: Sharing means giving some of what you have to others. Like when you let your friend play with your favorite toy!
👶 For kids: Sharing means giving some of what you have to others.
More Examples
He shared his lunch with his hungry friend.
The company shares its profits with its employees.
How It's Used
"The children learned to share their toys with each other."
"She shares her thoughts and feelings openly."
Synonyms & Antonyms
Idioms & expressions
share and share alike
Everyone gets the same amount or the same treatment.
"The siblings always share their toys share and share alike."
share the wealth
To distribute wealth or resources more broadly.
"The government proposed policies to share the wealth and reduce income inequality."
From Middle English *sheres*, plural of *shere* ('share'), from Old English *sċearu* ('a share, portion').
Historically, 'share' was used in a more general sense of 'division' or 'part'. The financial meaning developed later.
Memory tip
Think of dividing a cake – each slice is a share of the whole cake (the company).
Word Origin
"division, portion"