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Definition of trade
1a (1) : the business of buying and selling or bartering commodities : commerce (2) : business, market novelties for the tourist trade did a good trade in small appliancesb obsolete : dealings between persons or groups
2a : an act or instance of trading : transaction; also : an exchange of property usually without use of moneyb : a firm's customers : clientelec : the group of firms engaged in a business or industry
3a : an occupation requiring manual or mechanical skill : craftb : the business or work in which one engages regularly : occupationc : the persons engaged in an occupation, business, or industry
4 : a customary course of action : practice thy sin's not accidental, but a trade — William Shakespeare
5 : trade wind —usually used in plural
6 : a publication intended for persons in the entertainment business —usually used in plural
7a obsolete : a path traversed : wayb archaic : a track or trail left by a person or animal : tread 4
From the M-W Editors
Examples of trade in a Sentence
the trade between the two countries
Trade accounts for half of our gross national product.
The Tigers made a few good trades this season and picked up some promising players.
Recent Examples of trade from the Web
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Habitat loss and sales to the Asian pet trade are among the biggest problems, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s application for that listing.
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Trade between China and North Korea grew almost 40% in the first quarter.
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That said, federal enforcement priorities seem to remain focused on preventing revenues from the sale of drugs from going to criminal enterprises and preventing violence associated with the illegal drug trade.
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At the same time, trade talks between the United States and Europe have stalled.
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The Padres’ plan is for Cahill, who had emerged as a key trade asset before his injury, to make two starts before the All-Star break.
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With trade’s role in the global economy still below the levels seen before the financial crisis, the world that big manufacturing giants helped build is slipping away.
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The trade market for him in the winter was quiet, since most teams looking to contend had a shortstop of their own already.
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The T-Bolts acquired Kuzminsky for fellow reliever Ryan Leach in a Jan. 19 trade with Trois-Rivieres.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'trade'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of trade
Middle English, from Middle Low German; akin to Old High German trata track, course, Old English tredan to tread
Synonym Discussion of trade
trade
Definition of trade
traded
;trading
intransitive verb
1 : to give one thing in exchange for another
2a : to engage in the exchange, purchase, or sale of goodsb : to make one's purchases : shop trades at his store
3 : sell 3
4 obsolete : to have dealings : negotiate
transitive verb
1a : to give in exchange for another commodity : barter; also : to make an exchange of traded placesb : to engage in frequent buying and selling of (stocks, commodities, etc.) usually in search of quick profits
2 archaic : to do business with
trade on
: to take often unscrupulous advantage of : exploit traded on their influence … in securing special favors — T. C. Pease
Examples of trade in a Sentence
If you don't like your seat, I'll trade with you.
I traded seats with her halfway through the show.
He was traded to the Yankees.
They traded him to the Broncos.
I traded my pen for a pencil and kept writing.
Their firm specializes in trading bonds.
She mostly trades in stocks.
Recent Examples of trade from the Web
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More than 350 million years ago, our distant fishy ancestors traded in the life aquatic for land.
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Or trade the backyard pool party for symphonic sounds at The Biltmore hotel in Coral Gables.
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Companies could trade emissions allowances within those sectors but not among them.
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The Rockies, Dodgers and Diamondbacks are trading blows even in separate cities.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'trade'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
First Known Use of trade
1553
trade
Definition of trade
1 : of, relating to, or used in trade
2a : intended for or limited to persons in a business or industry a trade publication trade salesb : serving others in the same business rather than the ultimate user or consumer a trade printing house
3 or less commonly trades : of, composed of, or representing the trades or trade unions a trade committee
4 : having a larger softcover format than that of a mass-market paperback and usually sold only in bookstores trade paperbacks; also : of or relating to the publishing of such books
First Known Use of trade
1625
Other Business Terms
TRADE Defined for English Language Learners
trade
playDefinition of trade for English Language Learners
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: the activity or process of buying, selling, or exchanging goods or services
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: the amount of things or services that are bought and sold : the money made by buying and selling things or services
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: the act of exchanging one thing for another
trade
Definition of trade for English Language Learners
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: to give something to someone and receive something in return : to give something in exchange for something else
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sports : to give (one of your players) to another team in exchange for one of their players
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: to stop using (one thing) and start using another
TRADE Defined for Kids
Definition of trade for Students
1 : the business or work in which a person takes part regularly : occupation
2 : the business of buying and selling items : commerce
3 : an occupation requiring manual or mechanical skill : craft
4 : an act of trading : transaction
5 : the persons working in a business or industry
6 : a firm's customers
Definition of trade for Students
traded
;trading
1 : to give in exchange for something else I'll trade my apple for your banana.
2 : to take part in the exchange, purchase, or sale of goods Our country trades in many parts of the world.
3 : to deal regularly as a customer Because of bad service, I don't trade there anymore.
Law Dictionary
trade
Legal Definition of trade
1a : the business or work in which one engages regularly b : an occupation requiring manual or mechanical skill c : the persons engaged in an occupation
2 : the business of buying and selling or bartering commodities
3 : an act or instance of trading; also : an exchange of property usually without use of money
trade
Legal Definition of trade
traded
trading
intransitive verb
1 : to engage in the exchange, purchase, or sale of goods
2 : to give one thing in exchange for another
3 : to engage in selling
transitive verb
1 : to give in exchange for another commodity; also : to make an exchange of
2 : to engage in frequent buying and selling of (as stocks or commodities) usually in search of quick profits
tradable
alsotradeable
adjectivetrader
nountrade
Legal Definition of trade
1 : of, relating to, or used in trade or in a particular trade or business
2 also trades : of, composed of, or representing the trades or labor unions
Learn More about trade
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See words that rhyme with trade Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for trade Spanish Central: Translation of trade Nglish: Translation of trade for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of trade for Arabic speakers
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