I. ˈbrōkə(r) noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English brokour, broker, from (assumed) Anglo-French brocour (akin to Old North French brokieres one that sells wine from the tap, Anglo-French brogour untrustworthy dealer), from (assumed) Old North French broquier to tap (a cask) (akin to Old French brochier to tap), from broque tap of a cask (akin to Old French broche tap of a cask, pointed tool) — more at broach
1. : negotiator , intermediary
Sir Winston's offers of his good services as broker between East and West — Max Ascoli
as
a. : a go-between in affairs of love or sex ; especially : an agent professionally engaged in the arrangement of marriages — called also marriage broker
b.
(1) : an agent middleman who for a fee or commission negotiates contracts of purchase and sale (as of real estate, commodities, or securities) between buyers and sellers without himself taking title to that which is the subject of negotiation and usually without having physical possession of it — often used with a qualifying attributive
dealings with a produce broker
wool brokers
busy stock brokers
— compare dealer , stockjobber
(2) : customer's broker
c. archaic : a person entrusted with the transmission of information : messenger , interpreter
2. : dealer: as
a. Britain : a dealer in secondhand goods ; sometimes : one that buys and sells the loot of thieves
b. : a dealer who for his own profit negotiates purchases and sales (as of negotiable instruments or commodities) himself taking or holding title to and often physical possession of that which is the subject of negotiation but usually not altering or processing it — not used technically in fields in which a broker is primarily an agent; compare stockjobber , processor
3. Britain : a person licensed to appraise or sell household distrained goods
II. transitive verb
( brokered ; brokered ; brokering -k(ə)riŋ ; brokers )
: to function as a broker in respect to
brokered a deal
III. noun
: power broker herein
IV. transitive verb
: to arrange, settle, or control as a broker
broker a convention
accustomed to diversity and disagreement, to brokering policy between the various factions — Wall Street Journal