I. ˈdēl, esp before pause or consonant -ēəl noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English deel, del, from Old English dǣl; akin to Old English dāl division, portion, Old High German teil part, Old Norse deild share, Gothic dails part
1. obsolete : part , portion , share
2. : an indefinite quantity, degree, or extent
it makes a good deal of difference
it means a great deal to him
he hasn't got a great deal of money
3.
a. : the act, process, or method of distributing cards to players in a card game
b. : the privilege or duty of acting as dealer
it's my deal
c. : a period in the play of a card game embracing all phases from the shuffle through the determination or scoring of the result — compare hand 10a(4)
4. : a large quantity : lot
a deal of years — Raymond Moley
II. verb
( dealt ˈdelt ; dealt “ ; dealing ˈdēliŋ ; deals ˈdē(ə)lz)
Etymology: Middle English delen, from Old English dǣlan; akin to Old High German teilen to divide, Old Norse deila, Gothic dailjan; denominative from the root of English deal (I)
transitive verb
1. obsolete : divide , separate , sever
2.
a. : to give as one's share or portion : distribute , apportion , mete
dealt justice to all men
— usually used with out
dealt out three sandwiches apiece
b.
(1) : to distribute (one or more playing cards) to a player or the players in a card game
(2) : to distribute the cards for (a specified card game)
deal poker
(3) : to act as dealer in (a specified game)
deal craps
3. : administer , deliver , bestow
deal the boy a scolding
intransitive verb
1. obsolete : to be a sharer : share
2.
a. : to distribute the cards in a card game
b. : to have the function or duty of distributing cards to the players in a card game
c. : to act as a dealer in a gambling game
3.
a. : to have to do : concern oneself : treat — used with with
the book deals with all aspects of the subject
b. : to become occupied or busy — used with in
dealing in matters of no concern to him
fond of dealing in large generalities
4. : to act toward a person or regarding a thing : do — used with by or with
return … and I will deal well with thee — Gen 32:9 (Authorized Version)
5. archaic : to have dealings — used with with
dealing with witches — Shakespeare
6. archaic : to act as intermediary : make arrangements : negotiate — used with with or between
7. : to do a retailing or distributing business : trade , traffic — used with in before a thing
he deals in flour
and with with before a person
he deals fairly with all his customers
8. obsolete : contend , struggle , quarrel — used with with
9. : to take action (as in regard to some object, problem, or source of difficulty) : come to grips — used with with
he may deal as he pleases with his own property
had to deal with a catastrophic inflation
dealt with his problems as they arose
dealt harshly with the rebels
Synonyms: see distribute , treat
III. noun
( -s )
1. obsolete : dealings, intercourse
2.
a. : an act of buying and selling : an offering of a combination of products at a special price
a package deal
: a reciprocal arrangement or agreement : bargain
b. : treatment received in a transaction from another
a raw deal
or from impersonal forces or circumstances
a rough deal
c. usually capitalized : a particular policy of national administration especially of economic or politico-economic affairs
Theodore Roosevelt's Square Deal
the New Deal
the Fair Deal
3. : an often clandestine arrangement to gain mutual advantage for those interested : a negotiated settlement of an issue (as a lawsuit)
law … has a way of beginning with ideals and ending with deals — H.A.Overstreet
IV. noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle Dutch or Middle Low German dele plank; akin to Old High German dili, dilla plank, plank floor — more at thill
1.
a. Britain : a board of fir or pine cut to any of several specified sizes — see deal end , slit deal , standard deal , whole deal
b. in the United States export trade : sawed yellow-pine lumber nine inches and wider and three, four, or five inches thick
2. : pine or fir wood : deals in the aggregate
a floor of deal
V. adjective
: made of deal ; broadly : made of plain unfinished wood
a deal table
VI. transitive verb
: sell
deals drugs
VII. noun
1. : skinny herein , : explanation
2. : affair 2a d