Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *dreh₂- Proto-Germanic *tradō Proto-West Germanic *trudo Old Saxon tradader. Middle Low German tradeder. Middle English trade English trade From Middle English trade (“path, course of conduct”), introduced into English by Hanseatic merchants, from Middle Low German trade (“track, course”), from Old Saxon trada (“spoor, track”), from Proto-West Germanic *tradu, from Proto-Germanic *tradō (“track, way”), and cognate with Old English tredan (“to tread”); ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *dreh₂- (“to tread, walk, step, run”). Cognate with Dutch trade, tra (“path, trail, course, trade”), German Low German Traad (“track, wagon trail”), Luxembourgish Tratt (“step, pace”), Icelandic tröð (“a lane between fences, enclosure, pen”).
The buying and selling of goods and services on a market.
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A 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.
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An idea or strategy for an investment on a market.
"Sell America" is the latest trade on Wall Street.
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An 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:
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:
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Those who perform a particular kind of skilled work.
The skilled trades were the first to organize modern labor unions.
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:
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Those engaged in an industry or group of related industries.
It is not a retail showroom. It is only for the trade.
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The skilled practice of a practical occupation.
He learned his trade as an apprentice.
In the clearing stands a boxer and a fighter by his trade1969, Paul Simon, Simon & Garfunkel, “The Boxer”, Bridge over Troubled Water, Columbia Records
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An occupation in the secondary sector, as opposed to an agricultural, professional or military one.
After failing his entrance exams, he decided to go into a trade.
Most veterans went into trade when the war ended.
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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 trade2012, Liberty Carrington, Wide Eyes Closed, AuthorHouse, →ISBN, page 92:
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UK The business given to a commercial establishment by its customers.
Even before noon there was considerable trade.
Trade has been down in this cold weather.
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The gift shop relies on passing trade from tourists.
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In plural Steady winds blowing from east to west above and below the equator.
They rode the trades going west.
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:
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As plural A publication intended for participants in an industry or related group of industries.
Rumors about layoffs are all over the trades.
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LGBTSlang A masculine man available for casual sex with men, often for pay. (Compare rough trade.)
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, pages 391–2:
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:
Obsolete A track or trail; a way; a path; passage.
A postern with a blind wicket there was, / A common trade to pass through Priam's house1557, Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey, The Second Book of Virgil's Æneid:
As Shepheardes curre, that in darke eveninges shade / Hath tracted forth some salvage beastes trade1590, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene, Book II:
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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:
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Obsolete A course; a custom; a practice; an occupation.
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:
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Long did I love this lady, / Long was my travel, long my trade to win her.1655, Philip Massinger, John Fletcher, A Very Woman:
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]:
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *dreh₂- Proto-Germanic *tradō Proto-West Germanic *trudo Old Saxon tradader. Middle Low German tradeder. Middle English trade English trade From Middle English trade (“path, course of conduct”), introduced into English by Hanseatic merchants, from Middle Low German trade (“track, course”), from Old Saxon trada (“spoor, track”), from Proto-West Germanic *tradu, from Proto-Germanic *tradō (“track, way”), and cognate with Old English tredan (“to tread”); ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *dreh₂- (“to tread, walk, step, run”). Cognate with Dutch trade, tra (“path, trail, course, trade”), German Low German Traad (“track, wagon trail”), Luxembourgish Tratt (“step, pace”), Icelandic tröð (“a lane between fences, enclosure, pen”).
He withdrew money to his bank account after several years of trading stocks on E-Trade.
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[…]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:
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Business, Finance To be traded at a certain price or under certain conditions.
Apple is trading at $200.
ExxonMobil trades on the NYSE.
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The stock is trading rich relative to its sector.
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With for To give (something) in exchange (for).
Will you trade your precious watch for my earring?
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To mutually exchange (something) (with).
The rival schoolboys traded insults and punches.
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):
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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:
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With on To 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.
Ambitransitive To do business; offer for sale as for one's livelihood.
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To have dealings; to be concerned or associated (with).
Saucy and over bold, how did you dare / To trade and traffic with Macbethc. 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]:
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *dreh₂- Proto-Germanic *tradō Proto-West Germanic *trudo Old Saxon tradader. Middle Low German tradeder. Middle English trade English trade From Middle English trade (“path, course of conduct”), introduced into English by Hanseatic merchants, from Middle Low German trade (“track, course”), from Old Saxon trada (“spoor, track”), from Proto-West Germanic *tradu, from Proto-Germanic *tradō (“track, way”), and cognate with Old English tredan (“to tread”); ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *dreh₂- (“to tread, walk, step, run”). Cognate with Dutch trade, tra (“path, trail, course, trade”), German Low German Traad (“track, wagon trail”), Luxembourgish Tratt (“step, pace”), Icelandic tröð (“a lane between fences, enclosure, pen”).
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Of 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: