Origin of trade
1300–50; 1540–50
for def 6; Middle English: course, path, track < Middle Low German, Middle Dutch (Old Saxon
trada), cognate with Old High German
trata; akin to
tread
synonym study for trade
1.
Trade ,
commerce ,
traffic refer to the exchanging of commodities for other commodities or money.
Trade is the general word:
a brisk trade between the nations.
Commerce applies to trade on a large scale and over an extensive area:
international commerce.
Traffic may refer to a particular kind of trade; but it usually suggests the travel, transportation, and activity associated with or incident to trade:
the opium traffic; heavy traffic on the railroads.
6. See
occupation.
14.
Trade ,
bargain ,
barter ,
sell refer to exchange or transfer of ownership for some kind of material consideration.
Trade conveys the general idea, but often means to exchange articles of more or less even value:
to trade with Argentina.
Bargain suggests a somewhat extended period of coming to terms:
to bargain about the price of a horse.
Barter applies especially to exchanging goods, wares, labor, etc., with no transfer of money for the transaction:
to barter wheat for machinery.
Sell implies transferring ownership, usually for a sum of money:
to sell a car.
OTHER WORDS FROM trade
Words nearby trade
British Dictionary definitions for trade down (1 of 2)
trade down
verb
(intr, adverb)
to sell a large or relatively expensive house, car, etc, and replace it with a smaller or less expensive one
British Dictionary definitions for trade down (2 of 2)
trade
/ (treɪd) /
noun
verb
adjective
intended for or available only to people in industry or business
trade prices
Derived forms of trade
tradable or tradeable, adjective tradeless, adjectiveWord Origin for trade
C14 (in the sense: track, hence, a regular business): related to Old Saxon
trada, Old High German
trata track; see
tread
Cultural definitions for trade down
trade
Business or commerce; economic activity.
Idioms and Phrases with trade down (1 of 2)
trade down
Exchange for something of lower value or price, as in They bought a smaller boat, trading down for the sake of economy. Similarly, trade up means “make an exchange for something of higher value or price,” as in They traded up to a larger house. [First half of 1900s]
Idioms and Phrases with trade down (2 of 2)
trade