I. bar ‧ gain 1 /ˈbɑːɡən, ˈbɑːɡɪn $ ˈbɑːr-/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
1 . something you buy cheaply or for less than its usual price:
There are no bargains in the clothes shops at the moment.
It’s an attractive little home, and I think it’s a bargain.
That second-hand table was a real bargain.
Good watches don't come at bargain prices.
Bargain hunters (=people looking for things to buy at low prices) queued outside the store for hours.
2 . an agreement, made between two people or groups to do something in return for something else
make/strike a bargain
Management and unions have struck a bargain over wage increases.
I’ve kept my side of the bargain and I expect you to keep yours.
⇨ drive a hard bargain at ↑ hard 1 (18)
3 . into the bargain ( also in the bargain American English ) in addition to everything else:
I am now tired, cold, and hungry, with a headache into the bargain.
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COLLOCATIONS
■ adjectives
▪ a real bargain
In the market you can sometimes pick up a real bargain.
▪ an absolute bargain
£59.99 is an absolute bargain.
▪ a brilliant/amazing bargain
The house they bought was an amazing bargain.
■ verbs
▪ look for/search for a bargain
She began looking for bargains at car boot sales.
▪ get a bargain
Everyone likes to think they are getting a bargain.
▪ find a bargain
Investors may be able to find some bargains this year.
▪ pick up/snap up a bargain (=find one)
You can often pick up a bargain at an auction.
▪ offer a bargain
The Regency hotel is offering off-season bargains.
■ bargain + NOUN
▪ a bargain price
In the sales you can get a fully fitted kitchen at a bargain price.
▪ a bargain buy
This remains a bargain buy at £3.99.
▪ a bargain hunter (=someone looking for a bargain)
Bargain hunters queued for hours before the store opened.
▪ bargain hunting
They're off to do some bargain hunting at the January sales.
▪ a bargain basement (=part of a large shop below ground where the price of goods is reduced)
Everything is reduced to clear in the bargain basement!
II. bargain 2 BrE AmE verb [intransitive]
[ Date: 1300-1400 ; Language: Old French ; Origin: bargaignier ]
to discuss the conditions of a sale, agreement etc, for example to try and get a lower price
bargain for
workers bargaining for better pay
bargain over
They bargained over the level of wages.
bargain with
women bargaining with traders
—bargainer noun [countable] :
He’s the hardest bargainer in the business.
bargain for something ( also bargain on something ) phrasal verb
[usually in negatives] to expect that something will happen and make it part of your plans:
They hadn’t bargained for such a dramatic change in the weather.
bargain on doing something
I hadn’t bargained on being stuck in traffic on the way home.
The thief got more than he bargained for, as Mr Cox tripped him up with his walking stick.