trade

²trade

verb

trad·edtrad·ing

Definition of TRADE

intransitive verb

1

obsolete : to have dealings : negotiate

2

a : to engage in the exchange, purchase, or sale of goods b : to make one's purchases : shop <trades at his store>

3

: to give one thing in exchange for another

4

: sell 3

transitive verb

1

archaic : to do business with

2

a : to give in exchange for another commodity : barter; also : to make an exchange of <traded places> b : to engage in frequent buying and selling of (as stocks or commodities) usually in search of quick profits

— trad·able also trade·able \ˈtrā-də-bəl\ adjective

— trade on

: to take often unscrupulous advantage of : exploit <traded on their influence … in securing special favors — T. C. Pease>

Examples of TRADE

1. If you don't like your seat, I'll trade with you.
2. I traded seats with her halfway through the show.
3. He was traded to the Yankees.
4. They traded him to the Broncos.
5. I traded my pen for a pencil and kept writing.
6. Their firm specializes in trading bonds.
7. She mostly trades in stocks.

First Known Use of TRADE

1553

Related to TRADE

Synonyms: deal, traffic

Related Words: bargain, barter, horse-trade, negotiate, transact; auction, exchange, merchandise (also merchandize), rebuy, resell, swap; buy, pick up, purchase, take; distribute, fair-trade, market, peddle, retail, sell, supply, vend, wholesale; black-market, bootleg, fence, smuggle; corner, engross, monopolize, undersell; day-trade, invest, speculate

Near Antonyms: black [chiefly British], blackball, boycott

see all synonyms and antonyms

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