CHEAP


Meaning of CHEAP in English

I. cheap 1 S1 W2 /tʃiːp/ BrE AmE adjective ( comparative cheaper , superlative cheapest )

[ Date: 1500-1600 ; Origin: good cheap 'at a good price, cheaply' , from cheap 'trade, price' (11-18 centuries) , from Old English ceap ]

1 . LOW PRICE not at all expensive, or lower in price than you expected OPP expensive :

cheap rail fares

the cheapest TV on the market

Property is cheaper in Spain than here.

a cheap shop (=one that sells goods cheaply)

The equipment is relatively cheap and simple to use.

This coat was dirt cheap (= very cheap - an informal expression)

cheap and cheerful British English (=simple and not expensive, but of reasonable quality)

a cheap and cheerful Italian restaurant

2 . BAD QUALITY low in price and quality:

Cheap wine gives me a headache.

cheap jewellery

The furniture looked cheap and nasty.

a cheap imitation of the real thing

3 . NOT EXPENSIVE TO USE not costing much to use or to employ SYN inexpensive

cheap to run/use/maintain etc

Gas appliances are usually cheaper to run than electric ones.

For the employer, a part-time workforce means a cheap labour supply.

4 . NOT DESERVING RESPECT showing a lack of honesty, moral principles, or sincere feelings, so that you do not deserve respect:

She felt cheap and stupid, like a naughty child caught stealing.

You’re lying, aren’t you? You’re so cheap.

His remark was a cheap shot at short people.

another cheap political stunt

It was nothing but a cheap trick (=unkind trick) .

5 . NOT GENEROUS American English not liking to spend money SYN mean British English :

She’s too cheap to take a cab.

6 . cheap thrill excitement that does not take much effort to get:

Bella will sleep with anyone for a cheap thrill.

7 . life is cheap used to say that it is not important if people die

8 . cheap at the price/at any price British English , cheap at twice the price so good, useful, or desirable that the cost is not important

—cheaply adverb :

a cheaply furnished room

They lived as cheaply as possible.

—cheapness noun [uncountable] :

the relative cheapness of housing

• • •

THESAURUS

▪ cheap costing very little money, or less than you expected:

My shoes were really cheap – they only cost £25.

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The cheapest way to get to Chicago is to take the bus.

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cheap flights

▪ low low prices, rents, and fees do not cost a lot of money. Do not use cheap with these words:

Why is the share price so low?

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You could get equally good accommodation elsewhere at a lower rent.

▪ inexpensive especially written not expensive – use this especially about things that are of good quality, even though they do not cost a lot:

The furniture is inexpensive, but well made.

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a simple inexpensive meal

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a hotel that offers air-conditioned rooms at relatively inexpensive prices

▪ reasonable a reasonable price seems fair because it is not too high:

The restaurant serves good food at reasonable prices.

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Only £25 a night? That sounds reasonable.

▪ economical cheap because you do not need to use a lot of money or fuel:

an economical car

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It is usually more economical to buy in large quantities.

▪ affordable cheap enough for most people to be able to buy or pay for:

affordable housing

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Single mothers often have trouble finding affordable childcare.

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The shop sells designer fashions at affordable prices.

▪ competitive competitive prices and rates are as low as those charged by other shops or companies:

I think you’ll find our prices are extremely competitive.

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The hotel offers a high standard of service at very competitive rates.

▪ budget [only before noun] budget flights, airlines, hotels etc have specially low prices:

You can get a budget flight to Amsterdam for only £19.

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a list of budget hotels for under $50 a night

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budget accommodation for families with young children

▪ be good/great value to be worth at least the price you pay for it, so that you feel pleased and think you have spent your money well:

The meals at Charlie’s Pizza are really good value.

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The holiday is great value for money.

▪ be a bargain informal to be extremely cheap:

I got this shirt when I was in Indonesia. It was a real bargain.

■ COLLOCATIONS CHECK

▪ low price/cost/rent/fee/charge

▪ reasonable price/cost

▪ economical car/way/method

▪ affordable accommodation/housing/price

▪ competitive price/rate

▪ budget flight/airline/hotel/accommodation

II. cheap 2 BrE AmE adverb

at a low price:

Air fares to Africa don’t come cheap (=are expensive) .

I bought this house because it was going cheap (=selling for a lower price than usual) .

She used to get meat cheap at the butcher’s.

They’re selling linen off cheap in Lewis’s.

III. cheap 3 BrE AmE noun

on the cheap spending less money than is needed to do something properly:

A clean environment cannot be had on the cheap.

holidaying on the cheap

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English.      Longman - Словарь современного английского языка.