trade

[[t]treɪd[/t]]

n. v. trad•ed, trad•ing, adj.

1) the act or process of buying, selling, or exchanging commodities, at either wholesale or retail, within a country or between countries:

domestic trade; foreign trade[/ex]

2) a purchase or sale; business deal or transaction

3) an exchange of items, usu. without payment of money

4) any occupation pursued as a business or livelihood

5) some line of skilled manual or mechanical work; craft

6) people engaged in a particular line of business:

a show open to the trade[/ex]

7) market:

an increase in the tourist trade[/ex]

8) a field of business activity

9) the customers of a business establishment

10) mer trades

trade wind

11) to buy and sell; barter; traffic in

12) to exchange:

to trade seats[/ex]

13) to carry on trade:

trading in silver and gold[/ex]

14) to traffic (usu. fol. by in):

a tyrant who trades in human lives[/ex]

15) to make an exchange

16) to make one's purchases; shop; buy

17) phv trade in, to give (a used article) as payment to be credited toward a purchase

18) phv trade off, to exchange something for or with another

19) phv trade on or upon, to turn to one's advantage, esp. selfishly or unfairly; exploit:

to trade on the weaknesses of others[/ex]

20) of or pertaining to trade or commerce

21) used by, serving, or intended for a particular trade:

trade journals[/ex]

22) Also, trades. of, composed of, or serving the members of a trade:

a trade club[/ex]

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Etymology: 1300–50; ME: course, path, track < MD, MLG (OS trada), c. OHG trata; akin to tread trad′a•ble, trade′a•ble, adj.