deal

plural deals

1. obsoleteA division, a portion, a share, a part, a piece.

   We gave three deals of grain in tribute to the king.

   Synonyms: allotment, apportionment, distribution

2. oftenAn indefinite quantity or amount; a lot (now usually qualified by great or good).

   There is a deal of obscurity concerning the identity of the species thus multitudinously baptized.

   1851 November 14, Herman Melville, chapter 32, in Moby-Dick; or, The Whale, 1st American edition, New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers; London: Richard Bentley, →OCLC

   4 more examples

   There is a vast deal of difference in memories, as well as in every thing else, and therefore you should make allowance for your cousin, and pity her deficiency.

   1814 May 9, [Jane Austen], chapter II, in Mansfield Park: […], volume I, London: […] [George Sidney] for T[homas] Egerton, […], →OCLC, page 35

   The water is poured into the chasm, and though the chasm is small yet it receives a mighty deal of water.

   1918, James George Frazer, Folk-Lore In The Old Testament, volume 1, page 154

   “They know our boats will stand up to their work,” said Willison, “and that counts for a good deal. A low estimate from us doesn't mean scamped work, but just that we want to keep the yard busy over a slack time.”

   1928, Lawrence R. Bourne, chapter 3, in Well Tackled!

   Like most human activities, ballooning has sponsored heroes and hucksters and a good deal in between. For every dedicated scientist patiently recording atmospheric pressure and wind speed while shivering at high altitudes, there is a carnival barker with a bevy of pretty girls willing to dangle from a basket or parachute down to earth.

   2013 June 7, David Simpson, “Fantasy of navigation”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 188, number 26, page 36

   Synonyms: batch, flock, good deal, great deal, hatful, heap, load, lot

present singular third person deals · participle present dealing · participle past dealt · past dealt · nonstandard participle past dealed · nonstandard past dealed

1. transitiveTo distribute among a number of recipients, to give out as one’s portion or share.

   The fighting is over; now we deal out the spoils of victory.

   1 more example

   Rome deals out her blessings and her gold.

   a. 1740, Thomas Tickell, “An Epistle from a lady in England to a gentleman at Avignon”, in Charles Churchil, editor, The Poetical Works of Churchill, Parnell, and Tickell: With a Life of Each, published 1880, page 51

   Synonyms: apportion, divvy up, share, share out, portion out

2. transitiveTo administer or give out, as in small portions.

   Norwich returned to second in the Championship with victory over Nottingham Forest, whose promotion hopes were dealt another blow.

   2011 April 15, Saj Chowdhury, “Norwich 2 - 1 Nott'm Forest”, in BBC Sport

   1 more example

   "Away, proud woman!" said the Lady; "who ever knew so well as thou to deal the deepest wounds under the pretence of kindness and courtesy?"

   1820, [Walter Scott], chapter 30, in The Abbot. […], volume (please specify |volume=I to III), Edinburgh: […] [James Ballantyne & Co.] for Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, […]; and for Archibald Constable and Company, and John Ballantyne, […], →OCLC

   Synonyms: administer, allot, deal out, dish out, dispense, distribute, dole out, hand out

3. transitiveTo take action with regard to someone or something.
4. ambitransitiveTo distribute cards to the players in a game.

   I was dealt four aces.

   1 more example

   The cards were shuffled, and the croupier dealt.

5. transitivedeliver damage, a blow, strike or cut. To inflict.

   The boxer was dealt a blow to the head.

   1 more example

   This is a heavy-handed weapon attack that can be made with a two-handed weapon, that will deal damage equal to 4 times your size category

   2009, Jake Conner, Maverick, Strategy RPG: Core Rulebook, page 99

6. ball gamesTo pitch.

   The whole crowd waited for him to deal a real humdinger.

   Synonyms: pitch, throw

7. intransitiveTo have dealings or business.

   When the spice flow stops, all eyes will turn to Arrakis. The Baron and the Emperor himself will be forced to deal with us.

   1984, 1:45:55 from the start, in Dune (Science Fiction), spoken by Paul Atreides, →OCLC

   1 more example

   Mr. Brownlow contrived to state his case; observing that, in the surprise of the moment, he had run after the boy because he saw him running away; and expressing his hope that, if the magistrate should believe him, although not actually the thief, to be connected with thieves; he would deal as leniently with him as justice would allow.

   1838, Boz [pseudonym; Charles Dickens], chapter 11, in Oliver Twist; […], volume (please specify |volume=I, II, or III), London: Richard Bentley, […], →OCLC

8. intransitiveTo conduct oneself, to behave.

   In Deheubarth that now South-wales is hight, / What time king Ryence raign'd, and dealed right [...].

   1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book III, Canto II”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC

9. intransitiveobsoleteTo take action; to act.

   Wel said syr Uwayne go on your waye, and lete me dele.

   1470–1485 (date produced), Thomas Malory, “(please specify the chapter)”, in [Le Morte Darthur], book IV, [London: […] by William Caxton], published 31 July 1485, →OCLC; republished as H[einrich] Oskar Sommer, editor, Le Morte Darthur […], London: David Nutt, […], 1889, →OCLC

10. intransitiveTo trade professionally (followed by in).

    She deals in gold.

    Synonyms: sell, trade, bargain

11. ambitransitiveTo sell, especially to sell illicit drugs.

    This club takes a dim view of members who deal drugs.

    Synonyms: sell

12. intransitiveTo be concerned with.

    Science, it cannot be too often repeated, deals with tangible phenomena.

    1922 February 2, James Joyce, “[Episode 14]”, in Ulysses, Paris: Shakespeare and Company […], →OCLC

13. intransitiveTo handle, to manage, to cope.

    I can't deal with this.

    2 more examples

    Then there was the sound of a struggle, and I knew that the attendants were dealing with him.

    1897, Bram Stoker, Dracula, Westminster [London]: Archibald Constable and Company, […], →OCLC

    I don't think he wants to go. — Yeah, well, we're going anyway, and he can deal.

plural deals

1. archaicbroadlyAn act of dealing or sharing out.
2. card gamesThe distribution of cards to players; a player's turn for this.

   I believe it's your deal.

   1 more example

   I didn’t have a good deal all evening.

   Synonyms: hand

3. A particular instance of trading (buying or selling; exchanging; bartering); a transaction.

   We need to finalise the deal with Henderson by midnight.

   2 more examples

   recognizing the societal deal between capital and labor regarding retirement savings

   The deal, which overtakes the £50m paid to Liverpool by Chelsea for Fernando Torres in January 2011 as the highest paid by a British club, takes United’s summer spend to £130.7m, following the £27m spent on Luke Shaw, the £28m for Ander Herrera and £16m for Marcos Rojo.

   2014 August 26, Jamie Jackson, “Ángel di María says Manchester United were the ‘only club’ after Real”, in The Guardian

   Synonyms: business deal, sale, trade, transaction

4. A transaction offered which is financially beneficial; a bargain.

   You also have to look at the kind of mortgage deals available to you and whether you will be able to trade up to the kind of property you are looking for.

   2009, The Guardian, Virginia Wallis, 22 Jul 2009

   Synonyms: steal, bargain

5. An agreement between parties; an arrangement.

   to cut a deal, to cut deals

   4 more examples

   California lawmakers, their state broke and its credit rating shot, finally sealed the deal with the governor Monday night on a plan to close a $26 billion budget gap.

   2009 July 20, Jennifer Steinhauer, New York Times

   He made a deal with the devil.

   I didn't deserve it, but he cut me a deal.

   to cut a fantastic deal, to cut a raw deal

   Synonyms: contract, pact

6. informalA situation, occasion, or event.

   What's the deal here?

   2 more examples

   Their new movie is the biggest deal of the year.

   I don't think that's such a big deal.

7. informalA thing, an unspecified or unidentified object.

   The deal with four tines is called a pitchfork.

   2 more examples

   Everything's invisible, I want to see something. Grace, soul, angels, God, the whole deal's invisible and the Bible could've been made up. Who knows?

   1965 January 11, Lou Sullivan, Diary

   I've never killed anybody before. I don't see what's the big deal.

   1996, Graham Yost, Broken Arrow, spoken by Major Vic "Deak" Deakins (John Travolta)

   Synonyms: dealy, thingy, whazzit

8. slangA personality trait, especially a negative one, and the underlying cause of it.

   What's her deal?

   3 more examples

   His whole deal is, you've got to be for it or against it, and you can't make it better.

   1990, National Archives and Records Administration, quoting Bill Clinton, George Bush: 1992-1993, page 1861

   My boyfriend hates it when I wear makeup or put on a short skirt, but then he points out how hot girls like the Pussycat Dolls are. What's his deal? —Jill, 16, Fresno, CA

   2006 February 6, “Dr. Boy”, in ELLEgirl

   I don't know what her deal was. I think she just cared about the MTV stuff and wanted to be around us, maybe hoping a camera would show up and she'd get her face on the color TV or something.

   2017 April 11, Amber Portwood, Never Too Late, Simon and Schuster, →ISBN, page 90

plural deals

1. uncountableWood that is easy to saw (from conifers such as pine or fir).

   1722, Daniel Defoe, A Journal of the Plague Year, London: E. Nutt et al., p. 86, Some Houses were […] entirely lock’d up, the Doors padlockt, the Windows and Doors having Deal Boards nail’d over them,

   1 more example

   A brisk fire burned in the grate, there were three comfortable chairs, and a deal table with a water carafe, a bucket of coals, and a few other amenities.

   1925 July – 1926 May, A[rthur] Conan Doyle, “(please specify the chapter number)”, in The Land of Mist (eBook no. 0601351h.html), Australia: Project Gutenberg Australia, published April 2019

2. countableA plank of softwood (fir or pine board).
3. archaiccountableA wooden board or plank, usually between 12 or 14 feet in length, traded as a commodity in shipbuilding.

   Swedish deals from ports in the Baltic

   1840, John Ramsey McCulloch, “Docks on the Thames (London)”, in A Dictionary Practical, Theoretical and Historical of Commerce and Commercial Navigation, volume 1, Thomas Wardle, page 590

   2 more examples

   It shall not be lawful for any person to land any timber, planks or board, deals, staves, tar, pitch, turpentine, rozin or other the commodities aforesaid, on any part of the present quays within the city of Bristol, from any vessel coming into the said port...

   1819, Charles Pope, Practical abridgement of the laws of customs and excise, 5th edition, page CCXLIII

   1 deal (US) = 12 ft x 11 in. x 3/2 in. (E)

   2003, François Cardarelli, Encyclopaedia of Scientific Units, Weights, and Measures, page 52

1. not comparableMade of deal.

   A plain deal table

   3 more examples

   Deal table in the middle, plain chairs all round the walls, on one end a large shining map, marked with all the colours of a rainbow.

   1899 (please specify the page), Joseph Conrad, “The Heart of Darkness”, in Blackwood’s Edinburgh Magazine, volume CLXV, New York, N.Y.: The Leonard Scott Publishing Company, […], →OCLC, part

   She glanced round the kitchen. It was small and curious to her, with its glittering kissing-bunch, its evergreens behind the pictures, its wooden chairs and little deal table.

   1913, D[avid] H[erbert] Lawrence, chapter 6, in Sons and Lovers, London: Duckworth & Co. […], →OCLC

   Through the open door you see a red-tiled floor, a large wooden bed, and on a deal table a ewer and a basin.

   1919, W[illiam] Somerset Maugham, “chapter 47”, in The Moon and Sixpence, [New York, N.Y.]: Grosset & Dunlap Publishers […], →OCLC

1. A coastal town and civil parish with a town council in Dover district, Kent, England (OS grid ref TR3752).
2. A borough on the Jersey Shore, Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States, named after the Kentish town.
3. An unincorporated community near Meyersdale, Somerset County, Pennsylvania, United States.
4. A surname.

1. abbreviationacronymhobbiesAcronym of difficulty, execution, amplitude/altitude(height). landing