negotiate
verbUK /nəˈɡəʊ.ʃi.eɪt/ · CA, US /nəˈɡoʊ.ʃi.eɪt/
Etymology c. 1598; borrowed from Latin negōtiātus, perfect active participle of negōtior (“to do business, trade”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from negotium (“business”) + -or, from nec (“not”) + otium (“leisure, ease, inactivity”).
1
To confer with others in order to come to terms or reach an agreement.
- {{syn|en|treat|q1=formal; especially in order to reach a settlement}
- 1963, Martin Luther King, Jr., to the eight fellow clergymen who opposed the civil rights action, "Letter from Birmingham Jail," Why We Can't Wait "You are quite right in calling for negotiation. Indeed, this is the very purpose of direct action. Nonviolent direct action seeks to create such a crisis and foster such a tension that a community which has constantly refused to negotiate is forced to confront the issue."
2
To arrange or settle something by mutual agreement.
- We negotiated the contract to everyone's satisfaction.
- The client and server computers must first negotiate a network protocol to be used.
1 more example
- Hidden behind thickets of acronyms and gorse bushes of detail, a new great game is under way across the globe.[…]The current power play consists of an extraordinary range of countries simultaneously sitting down to negotiate big free trade and investment agreements.2013 July 19, Timothy Garton Ash, “Where Dr Pangloss meets Machiavelli”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 189, number 6, page 18:
3
To succeed in coping with, getting over or navigate a hazard or obstacle.
- We negotiated the mountain track with difficulty.
- Although the car was quite rickety, he could negotiate the curves very well.
1 more example
- Novak Djokovic earlier had negotiated his own tricky passage through the fifth day.2012 June 29, Kevin Mitchell, “Roger Federer back from Wimbledon 2012 brink to beat Julien Benneteau”, in The Guardian, archived from the original on 15 Nov 2016:
4
To transfer to another person with all the rights of the original holder; to pass, as a bill.
5
Obsolete To transact business; to carry on trade.
- Jews, Turks, Armenians,[…]negotiating in this famous Emporium.1640–1706, John Evelyn, “(please specify the date of the diary entry)”, in William Bray, editor, Memoirs, Illustrative of the Life and Writings of John Evelyn, […], 2nd edition, volume I, London: Henry Colburn, […]; and sold by John and Arthur Arch, […], published 1819, →OCLC:
6
Obsolete To intrigue; to scheme.
- Certaine it is, shee was a busie negotiating woman.1622, Francis, Lord Verulam, Viscount St. Alban [i.e. Francis Bacon], The Historie of the Raigne of King Henry the Seventh, […], London: […] W[illiam] Stansby for Matthew Lownes, and William Barret, →OCLC:
- Derived terms
- misnegotiate, negotiability, negotiable, negotiating table, negotiation, negotiator, negotiatory, nonnegotiating, prenegotiated, renegotiate, unnegotiated
- Related terms
- otiose