trade

plural trades

1. uncountableThe buying and selling of goods and services on a market.

   Synonyms: commerce

2. countableA particular instance of buying or selling, or a series of related transactions executed as a single investment.

   I did no trades with them once the rumors started.

   Synonyms: deal, barter

3. countableAn idea or strategy for an investment on a market.

   "Sell America" is the latest trade on Wall Street.

4. countableAn instance of bartering items in exchange for one another.

   EXCHANGE — A trade or swap of no material profit to either side.

   1989, Bruce Pandolfini, Chess Openings: Traps and Zaps, →ISBN, Glossary, page 225

   1 more example

   When Golden State matched the Knicks' offer sheet, the Warriors and Knicks worked out a trade that sent King to New York for Richardson.

   2009, Elliott Kalb, Mark Weinstein, The 30 Greatest Sports Conspiracy Theories of All Time, →ISBN, page 60

5. countableThose who perform a particular kind of skilled work.

   The skilled trades were the first to organize modern labor unions.

   1 more example

   But through the oligopoly, charcoal fuel proliferated throughout London's trades and industries. By the 1200s, brewers and bakers, tilemakers, glassblowers, pottery producers, and a range of other craftsmen all became hour-to-hour consumers of charcoal.

   2006, Edwin Black, chapter 2, in Internal Combustion

   Synonyms: business

6. countableThose engaged in an industry or group of related industries.

   It is not a retail showroom. It is only for the trade.

7. countableThe skilled practice of a practical occupation.

   He learned his trade as an apprentice.

   1 more example

   In the clearing stands a boxer and a fighter by his trade

   1969, Paul Simon, Simon & Garfunkel, “The Boxer”, Bridge over Troubled Water, Columbia Records

   Synonyms: craft

8. countableuncountableAn occupation in the secondary sector, as opposed to an agricultural, professional or military one.

   Most veterans went into trade when the war ended.

   3 more examples

   After failing his entrance exams, he decided to go into a trade.

   Subsequently some Scottish troops settled, took up trade as weavers, tailors, or mariners, and married Dutch women.

   2007, Michael Lynch, The Oxford Companion to Scottish History, USA: Oxford University Press, →ISBN, page 228

   Getting a job in your major is no breeze: Remember we made fun of those who took up a trade

   2012, Liberty Carrington, Wide Eyes Closed, AuthorHouse, →ISBN, page 92

9. UKuncountableThe business given to a commercial establishment by its customers.

   Trade has been down in this cold weather.

   2 more examples

   Even before noon there was considerable trade.

   The gift shop relies on passing trade from tourists.

   Synonyms: business, takings, custom, footfall, patronage

10. countablein pluraluncountableSteady winds blowing from east to west above and below the equator.

    They rode the trades going west.

    1 more example

    Calms and variable winds, are also experienced during every month of the year, in the space between the trades;[…] the vicinity of the north-east trade seems most liable to them.

    1826 [1816], James Horsburgh, India Directory, Or Directions for Sailing to and from the East Indies, China, New Holland, Cape of Good Hope, Brazil and the Interjacent Ports, page 28

11. countableuncountableA publication intended for participants in an industry or related group of industries.

    Rumors about layoffs are all over the trades.

12. slanguncountableLGBTA masculine man available for casual sex with men, often for pay. (Compare rough trade.)

    Not you tryna impress plumber trade.

    2 more examples

    Josh picked up some trade last night.

    In a homosexual of this kind—corresponding to the test of eccentric behavior in the drawing-room—one usually finds a preference for "trade," i.e., sexually normal males, because, if another homosexual yields to him, he is only one of a class, but if he can believe that an exception is being made in his case, it seems a proof that he is being accepted for himself alone.

    1950, W. H. Auden, “A Playboy of the Western World: St. Oscar, The Homintern Martyr”, in Partisan Review, number April 1950, Volume 17, Number 4, pages 391–2

13. obsoleteuncountableInstruments of any occupation.

    His House and household Gods! his trade of War, / His Bow and Quiver; and his trusty Cur.

    1697, John Dryden, “The Third Book of the Georgics”, in The works of Virgil containing his Pastorals, Georgics and Aeneis, page 112

14. abbreviationcountableuncountableShort for trade paperback
15. countableuncountablebusinessRefuse or rubbish from a mine.
16. countableobsoleteuncountableA track or trail; a way; a path; passage.

    A postern with a blind wicket there was, / A common trade to pass through Priam's house

    1557, Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey, The Second Book of Virgil's Æneid

    2 more examples

    As Shepheardes curre, that in darke eveninges shade / Hath tracted forth some salvage beastes trade

    1590, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene, Book II

    Or, I'll be buried in the king's highway, / Some way of common trade, where subjects' feet / May hourly trample on their sovereign's head.

    c. 1595, William Shakespeare, Richard II, act III, scene iii

17. countableobsoleteuncountableA course; a custom; a practice; an occupation.

    Thy sin's not accidental but a trade.

    c. 1603–1604 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Measure for Measure”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene i]

    3 more examples

    The Jewes, emong whom alone and no moe, God hitherto semed for to reigne, by reason of their knowledge of the law, and of the autoritee of being in the right trade of religion.

    1545, Nicholas Udall, Paraphrase on Luke, translation of original by Desiderius Erasmus

    There those five sisters had continual trade / And used to bathe themselves in that deceitful shade.

    1590, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene, Book II

    Long did I love this lady, / Long was my travel, long my trade to win her.

    1655, Philip Massinger, John Fletcher, A Very Woman

present singular third person trades · participle present trading · participle past traded · past traded

1. ambitransitiveTo engage in trade.

   This company trades (in) precious metal.

   2 more examples

   He withdrew money to his bank account after several years of trading stocks on E-Trade.

   […]a free port, where Nations warring with one another resorted with their Goods, and traded as in a neutral Country.

   1727, John Arbuthnot, Tables of Ancient Coins, Weights and Measures, page 248

   Synonyms: deal

2. copulativeintransitivebusinessTo be traded at a certain price or under certain conditions.

   Apple is trading at $200.

   2 more examples

   ExxonMobil trades on the NYSE.

   The stock is trading rich relative to its sector.

3. transitiveTo give (something) in exchange (for).

   Will you trade your precious watch for my earring?

   Synonyms: exchange, swap, switch, truck

4. transitiveTo mutually exchange (something) (with).

   The rival schoolboys traded insults and punches.

   2 more examples

   The [Halo effect] strikes our combined fleets. All ships piloted by biologicals are now [adrift]. I can trade Mendicant ship for ship now and still prevail.

   2007 September 25, Bungie, Halo 3, Microsoft Game Studios, Xbox 360, level/area: Terminal Six (Legendary)

   Kalinin Bay is also in trouble, trading fire with Japanese destroyers and taking hits from both them and cruisers at the same time. Unlike the Gambier Bay, however, it does not appear that these ships have realized they need to switch to high explosive from armor-piercing, and, despite being riddled with shellfire, the ship stays afloat, despite this rather-unequal battering going on for another twenty to thirty minutes.

   2019 February 27, Drachinifel, 29:08 from the start, in The Battle of Samar - Odds? What are those?, archived from the original on 03 Nov 2022

5. transitivewith onTo use or exploit a particular aspect, such as a name, reputation, or image, to gain advantage or benefit.

   Some musicians try to trade on their past success by playing the same hits over and over again.

   Synonyms: exploit, capitalize on, take advantage of, use, leverage, benefit from, make use of, milk

6. intransitivetransitiveagricultureTo give someone a plant and receive a different one in return.
7. ambitransitiveTo do business; offer for sale as for one's livelihood.

   Synonyms: do business

8. intransitiveTo have dealings; to be concerned or associated (with).

   Saucy and over bold, how did you dare / To trade and traffic with Macbeth

   c. 1606 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Macbeth”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene v]

9. transitiveTo recommend and get recommendations.

   Synonyms: exchange

1. not comparableOf a product, produced for sale in the ordinary bulk retail trade and hence of only the most basic quality.

   "It is monstrous - grotesque." "But what made him draw such an animal?" "Trade gin, I should think."

   1912, Arthur Conan Doyle, The Lost World […], London; New York, N.Y.: Hodder and Stoughton, →OCLC