I. trade 1 S3 W1 /treɪd/ BrE AmE noun
[ Word Family: noun : ↑ trade , ↑ trader , ↑ trading ; verb : ↑ trade ]
[ Date: 1300-1400 ; Language: Middle Low German ; Origin: 'course, way, track' ]
1 . BUYING/SELLING [uncountable] the activity of buying, selling, or exchanging goods within a country or between countries SYN commerce
trade between
There has been a marked increase in trade between East and West.
international trade agreements
unfair trade practices
trade in
Trade in ivory has been banned since 1990.
the arms/drug/slave etc trade (=the buying and selling of weapons, drugs etc) ⇨ ↑ balance of trade , ↑ free trade , ⇨ trade war at ↑ war (3)
2 . the hotel/tourist etc trade the business done by companies, hotels etc ⇨ industry :
Working on Saturdays is usual in the retail trade.
3 . AMOUNT OF BUSINESS [uncountable] British English business activity, especially the amount of goods or products that are sold SYN business :
A lot of pubs nowadays do most of their trade at lunchtimes.
passing trade (=customers who go into a shop when they are passing it, not regular customers)
Souvenir shops rely mainly on passing trade.
⇨ do a roaring trade at ↑ roaring (3)
4 . AN EXCHANGE OF THINGS [singular] American English
a) when you exchange something you have for something that someone else has:
Let’s make a trade – my frisbee for your baseball.
b) when a player on a sports team is exchanged for a player from another team:
The Celtics star demanded a trade after talks with management broke down.
5 . the trade a particular kind of business, and the people who are involved in it:
I could get Ron to look at your car for you; he works in the trade.
6 . JOB/WORK [uncountable and countable] a particular job, especially one needing special skill with your hands:
Brian insisted that his sons learn a trade.
My grandfather was a plumber by trade (=that was his job) .
tools of your trade (=the things that you need to do your job)
⇨ ↑ stock-in-trade , ↑ jack-of-all-trades , ⇨ ply your trade at ↑ ply 1 (1), ⇨ tricks of the trade at ↑ trick 1 (7)
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COLLOCATIONS
■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + trade
▪ international/foreign trade
International trade is essential for long-term economic growth.
▪ global/world trade
We want the poorer nations to benefit from increased global trade.
▪ the arms/timber/book etc trade
Britain is heavily involved in the arms trade.
▪ the drugs/slave trade
the country’s thriving drugs trade
▪ the tourist trade
The wildlife and scenery have helped to make the tourist trade Alaska's second industry
▪ the retail trade (=businesses which sell goods in shops to customers)
Advertising encourages the retail trade to stock and display the product.
▪ the wholesale trade (=businesses which sell goods in large quantities at low prices to other businesses, rather than to the general public)
In the domestic market, the wholesale trade and retail trade developed rapidly.
■ trade + NOUN
▪ trade barriers ( also barriers to trade formal ) (=things that make trade between two countries more difficult or expensive, such as taxes)
The removal of trade barriers will help our trading partnership.
▪ a trade agreement
On April 3 a new trade agreement between Romania and the USA was signed.
▪ a trade embargo (=an official order to stop trade with another country)
Delegates urged the US government to lift its trade embargo against Vietnam.
▪ trade talks/negotiations
A further round of trade talks begins this week in Geneva.
▪ a trade deficit (=the amount by which the total goods one country sells to others is less than the amount it buys from them)
The foreign trade deficit widened by 42% compared with the previous year.
▪ a trade surplus (=the amount by which the total goods one country sells to others is more than the amount it buys from them)
Scotch whisky is a major contributor to the UK trade balance, with a large trade surplus.
II. trade 2 S3 W2 BrE AmE verb
[ Word Family: noun : ↑ trade , ↑ trader , ↑ trading ; verb : ↑ trade ]
1 . [intransitive and transitive] to buy and sell goods, services etc as your job or business
trade with
India began trading with Europe in the 15th and 16th centuries.
trade in
The company trades in silk, tea, and other items.
They had to travel into town to trade the produce from their farm.
2 . [intransitive] British English to exist and operate as a business:
The firm now trades under the name Lanski and Weber.
cease trading (=stop being a business because you are bankrupt)
3 . [transitive usually passive] to buy or sell something on the ↑ stock exchange :
Over a million shares were traded today.
4 . trade insults/blows etc to insult or hit each other during an argument or fight
5 . [intransitive and transitive] especially American English to exchange something you have for something someone else has SYN swap British English :
We traded necklaces.
trade something with somebody
I wouldn’t mind trading jobs with her.
trade (somebody) something for something
I’ll trade you my camera for your drill.
trade at something phrasal verb
if shares etc trade at a particular price, they cost that amount to buy
trade down phrasal verb
to replace something you own with something cheaper, or buy a cheaper type of thing than before
trade down to
Many of their customers are trading down to cheaper cigarettes.
trade something ↔ in phrasal verb
to give something such as a car to the person you are buying a new one from, as part of the payment
trade something ↔ in for
He traded his old car in for a new model.
⇨ ↑ trade-in
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ exchange to give something to someone, and receive a similar thing from them at the same time. Exchange is often used about people telling each other about their ideas, phone numbers, addresses etc:
They exchanged photographs before they met.
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a place where people can exchange ideas
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We exchanged email addresses.
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if you are unhappy with the jacket, you can always take it back and exchange it for another one.
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These coupons can be exchanged for meals and accommodation.
▪ change to exchange something, especially money. Also used in British English about exchanging something you have bought for something different:
I need to change some dollars.
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She changed all her money into euros.
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We thought it was time we changed our car for something more modern.
▪ swap ( also do a swap British English ) informal to give something to someone, who gives you something similar:
The two schools use the Internet to swap pictures, stories, and jokes.
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I like your room better – do you want to do a swap?
▪ trade ( also do a trade American English ) to exchange something that you have for something that someone else has:
The stolen phones are being traded for drugs.
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The boys trade sports cards on the playground.
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We've got lots of plants we don't need – do you want to do a trade?
▪ switch to change the places of two or more people or things, so that each one is in the place the other was before:
Can I switch seats with you?
▪ reciprocate to do or give something, because someone has done or given something similar to you – a rather formal use:
They invited us to dinner a while ago, and I'd like to reciprocate.
▪ in exchange/return (for something) if you give something in exchange or in return for something else, you give it in order to get something else back:
Williams will plead guilty in exchange for a reduced sentence.
trade something ↔ off phrasal verb
to balance one situation or quality against another, in order to produce an acceptable result
trade something ↔ off for/against
Companies are under pressure to trade off price stability for short-term gains.
⇨ ↑ trade-off
trade on/upon something phrasal verb
to use a situation or someone’s kindness in order to get an advantage for yourself:
If you ask me, they’re just trading on Sam’s good nature.
trade up phrasal verb
to replace something you own with something better, or buy a better type of thing than before
trade up to/from
It also encourages existing home owners to trade up to larger accommodation.