bargain for

bargain for idiom
  1. Also, bargain over. Negotiate about something, usually a price. For example, In open-air markets it is standard practice to bargain for the best price. [Late 1300s]
  2. Also, bargain on. Expect, be prepared for, as in In planning the picnic, we hadn't bargained for bad weather, or I hadn't bargained on John's coming along. [c. 1800] For a synonym, see count on.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

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