/ tʃiːp; NAmE / adjective , adverb
■ adjective
( cheap·er , cheap·est )
LOW PRICE
1.
costing little money or less money than you expected
SYN inexpensive :
cheap fares
Personal computers are cheap and getting cheaper.
Cycling is a cheap way to get around.
( BrE )
The printer isn't exactly cheap at £200.
immigrant workers, used as a source of cheap labour (= workers who are paid very little, especially unfairly)
—see also dirt cheap
OPP expensive
2.
charging low prices :
a cheap restaurant / hotel
( BrE )
We found a cheap and cheerful cafe (= one that is simple and charges low prices but is pleasant) .
OPP expensive
POOR QUALITY
3.
( disapproving ) low in price and quality :
cheap perfume / jewellery / shoes
( BrE )
a cheap and nasty bottle of wine
UNKIND
4.
unpleasant or unkind and rather obvious :
I was tired of his cheap jokes at my expense.
LOW STATUS
5.
( disapproving ) having a low status and therefore not deserving respect :
He's just a cheap crook.
His treatment of her made her feel cheap (= ashamed, because she had lost her respect for herself) .
NOT GENEROUS
6.
( NAmE ) ( BrE mean ) ( informal , disapproving ) not liking to spend money :
Don't be so cheap!
► cheap·ness noun [ U ]
•
IDIOMS
- cheap at the price
- on the cheap
—more at life
■ adverb
( comparative cheap·er , no superlative ) ( informal ) for a low price :
I got this dress cheap in a sale.
•
IDIOMS
- be going cheap
- sth does not come cheap
••
SYNONYMS
cheap
competitive ♦ budget ♦ affordable ♦ reasonable ♦ inexpensive
These words all describe a product or service that costs little money or less money than you expected.
cheap
costing little money or less money than you expected; charging low prices.
NOTE
Cheap can also be used in a disapproving way to suggest that sth is poor quality as well as low in price:
a bottle of cheap perfume
.
competitive
(of prices, goods or services) as cheap as or cheaper than those offered by other companies; able to offer goods or services at competitive prices.
budget
[only before noun] (used especially in advertising) cheap because it offers only a basic level of service.
affordable
cheap enough for most people to afford.
reasonable
(of prices) not too expensive.
inexpensive
( rather formal ) cheap.
NOTE
Inexpensive is often used to mean that sth is good value for its price. It is sometimes used instead of cheap , because cheap can suggest that sth is poor quality.
PATTERNS AND COLLOCATIONS :
cheap / competitive / budget / affordable / reasonable prices / fares / rates
cheap / competitive / budget / affordable / inexpensive goods / products / services
to be / become / seem / sound cheap / competitive / affordable / reasonable / inexpensive
quite / relatively / extremely / very cheap / competitive / affordable / reasonable / inexpensive
••
WORD ORIGIN
late 15th cent.: from an obsolete phrase good cheap a good bargain , from Old English cēap bargaining, trade , based on Latin caupo small trader, innkeeper.