Trade Definition

trād

traded, trades, trading

noun

trades

A track; path.

Webster's New World

A branch or kind of business.

The women's clothing trade.

American Heritage

A course; regular procedure.

Webster's New World

A means of earning one's living; occupation, work, or line of business.

Webster's New World

The buying and selling of commodities or the bartering of goods; commerce.

Webster's New World

Synonyms:

Antonyms:

verb

traded, trades, trading

To engage in buying and selling for profit.

American Heritage

To carry on a trade or business.

Webster's New World

To have business dealings (with someone)

Webster's New World

To make an exchange (with someone)

Webster's New World

To be offered for sale or be sold.

Stocks traded at lower prices this morning.

American Heritage

Synonyms:

Synonyms:
give in exchange
swap
barter
switch
swop
merchandise
trade in
sell
deal
ply
swap (colloq.)
exchange
traffic
negotiate
purchase

adjective

Of or relating to trade or commerce.

Webster's New World

Relating to, used by, or serving a particular trade.

A trade magazine.

American Heritage

Of, by, or for those in a particular business or industry.

Trade papers or journals.

Webster's New World

Of the members in the trades, or crafts.

Trade unions.

Webster's New World

Of or relating to books that are primarily published to be sold commercially, as in bookstores.

American Heritage

Synonyms:

idiom

trade down

to trade something for something of lower value

Webster's New World

trade in

to give (one's used automobile, etc.) as part of the purchase price of a new one

Webster's New World

trade on

to take advantage of; exploit

Webster's New World

trade up

to trade something for something of higher value

Webster's New World

Other Word Forms of Trade

Noun

Singular:

trade

Plural:

trades

Idioms, Phrasal Verbs Related to Trade

Origin of Trade

From Middle English trade (“path, course of conduct"), cognate with Old English tredan (“tread"); See Online Etymology Dictionary

From Wiktionary
Middle English course from Middle Low German

From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition