exchange

noun, verb — 16 senses

exchange

noun

/ɛksˈt͡ʃeɪnd͡ʒ/ · [ɛkˈst͡ʃeɪnd͡ʒ]

Etymology From Middle English eschaunge, borrowed from Anglo-Norman eschaunge, from Old French eschange (whence modern French échange), from the verb eschanger, from Vulgar Latin *excambiāre (from Latin ex with Late Latin cambiō). Spelling later changed on the basis of ex-, with pronunciation following. By surface analysis, ex- + change.

11 senses
  1. 1An act of exchanging or trading.
  2. 2A place for conducting trading.
  3. 3A central office.
  4. 4The portion of a telephone number that represents (or…
  5. 5A conversation.
  6. 6The loss of one piece and associated capture of another.
  7. 7The loss of a minor piece (typically a bishop or knight)…
  8. 8The thing given or received in return; especially, a…
  9. 9The transfer of substances or elements like gas…
  10. 10The difference between the values of money in different places.
  11. 11Clipping of exchange of contracts.
1

An act of exchanging or trading.

  • All in all, it was an even exchange.
  • an exchange of cattle for grain
1 more example
  • I'll help you out this time, depending on what can you give me in exchange.
2

A place for conducting trading.

  • The stock exchange is open for trading.
  • The old corn exchange has been converted into a music venue.

› Ellipsis of telephone exchange.

3

Communications, Electrical engineering, Engineering, Natural sciences, Physical sciences, Telecommunications, Telephony A central office.

4

Communications, Electrical engineering, Engineering, Natural sciences, Physical sciences, Telecommunications, Telephony The portion of a telephone number that represents (or formerly represented) a central office.

  • The 555 exchange is reserved for use by the phone company, which is why it's often used in films.
  • NPA-NXX-1234 is standard format, where NPA is the area code and NXX is the exchange.
5

A conversation.

  • After a lengthy exchange with the manager, we were no wiser.
  • 'Why bother with the daily grind when you can go to Mosul, get paid $400 a month, get a wife – and live an Islamic way,' went an exchange between two men overheard by a fellow passenger in a taxi. Rumour has it that a woman whose husband died fighting with Isis now receives a generous widow's pension from jihadi coffers.2014 November 27, Ian Black, “Courts kept busy as Jordan works to crush support for Isis”, in The Guardian:
1 more example
  • The monarch and the prime minister meet weekly, currently on Wednesdays, to discuss matters of state. There is no one else in the room, and many former prime ministers have spoken about how much they have enjoyed the weekly exchanges.2022 October 25, Karla Adam, “King Charles III plays role his mother did in U.K. power transition”, in The Washington Post:
6

Board games, Chess, Games The loss of one piece and associated capture of another.

7

Board games, Chess, Games Usually, With definite article The loss of a minor piece (typically a bishop or knight) and associated capture of the more advantageous rook.

8

Obsolete The thing given or received in return; especially, a publication exchanged for another.

  • Lady, as you are mine, I am yours, I giue away my selfe for you, and doat vpon the exchange.1598–1599 (first performance), William Shakespeare, “Much Adoe about Nothing”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene i]:
9

Biochemistry, Biology, Chemistry, Microbiology, Natural sciences, Physical sciences The transfer of substances or elements like gas, amino-acids, ions etc. sometimes through a surface like a membrane.

10

Business, Finance The difference between the values of money in different places.

11

Law England, Northern Ireland, Wales, Abbreviation, Clipping Clipping of exchange of contracts.

Derived terms
73 terms1031 exchange, amnioexchange, anex, anion exchange, arbitration of exchange, banner exchange, bet exchange, bill of exchange, cation exchange, Columbian exchange, commodity exchange, cookie exchange, corn exchange, currency exchange, deuteroexchange, exchange editor, exchange interaction, exchangeless, exchange of fire, exchange paradox, exchange rate, exchange rate risk, exchange student, exchange symmetry, exchange-traded fund, exchange value, exchange zone, fair exchange is no robbery, foreign exchange, foreign exchange certificate, foreign exchange market, foreign exchange risk, forex, gold exchange, heat exchange, heteroexchange, in exchange, in exchange for, interexchange, ion exchange, ion exchange chromatography, ion exchange resin, isotope exchange, key exchange, labor exchange, labour exchange, language exchange, link exchange, local exchange carrier, means of exchange, medium of exchange, mint par of exchange, multiexchange, needle exchange, nonexchange, part exchange, part-exchange, photoexchange, preexchange, prisoner exchange, private branch exchange, rate of exchange, reexchange, securities exchange, Starker exchange, stock exchange, Strowger exchange, superexchange, telephone exchange, telex, Telex, value in exchange, white elephant exchange

exchange

verb

Etymology From Middle English eschaungen, from Anglo-Norman eschaungier, Old French eschanger, from the Old French verb eschangier, eschanger (whence modern French échanger), from Vulgar Latin *excambiāre (from Latin ex with Late Latin cambiō). Gradually displaced native Old English wrixlan, wixlan (“to change, exchange, reciprocate”) and its descendants, wrixle being one of them.

1

To trade or barter.

  • I'll gladly exchange my place for yours.
2

Figuratively To mutually direct at each other.

  • The opposing soldiers exchanged fire across the burning streets.
3

To replace with, as a substitute.

  • I'd like to exchange this shirt for one in a larger size.
  • Since his arrest, the mob boss has exchanged a mansion for a jail cell.
4

Law England, Northern Ireland, Wales, Abbreviation, Clipping Clipping of exchange contracts.

5

To recommend and get recommendations.

Synonyms
truck, wrixle, barter, interchange, swap
Derived terms
exchangeability, exchangeable, exchange blows, exchangee, exchange flesh, exchanger, exchange vows, misexchange, preexchange, reexchange, unexchanged

Entry derived from the Wiktionary, under licence CC BY-SA 4.0 — list of authors.

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