trade

1 /treId/ noun

1 BUYING/SELLING (U) the activity of buying, selling, or exchanging goods within a country or between countries: There has been a marked increase in trade between East and West. | the arms trade (=the buying and selling of weapons)

—see also: balance of trade, free trade, slave trade

2 the hotel/banking/tourist etc trade the business done by banks, hotels etc: My husband worked in the jewellery trade all his life.

3 AMOUNT OF BUSINESS (U) business activity, especially the amount of goods or products that are sold: A lot of pubs nowadays do most of their trade at lunchtimes.

—see also: do a roaring trade roaring (3)

4 JOB/WORK (C) a particular job, especially one needing special skill with your hands: In those days people would leave school at fourteen to learn a trade. | be sth by trade (=be trained to do a particular job): My grandfather was a plumber by trade. | tools of your trade (=the things that you need to do your job)

—see job

5 the trade a particular kind of business, and the people who are involved in it: I could get Ron to look at your car for you; he works in the trade.

6 passing trade people who go into a shop, restaurant etc because they see it, but are not regular customers: Souvenir shops rely mainly on passing trade.

—see also: stock­in­trade, jack­of­all­trades, tricks of the trade trick 1 (5) 2 verb

1 (I, T) to buy and sell goods, services etc

(+ with): Britain built up her wealth by trading with other countries. (+ in): These companies trade mainly in furs and animal skins. | trade sth: Salesmen traded the new products all over the country. | trading partner (=a country that buys your goods and sells their goods toyou)

2 (I) to exist and operate as a business: The firm now trades under the name Lanski and Weber. | cease trading (=stop being a business)

3 (transitive usually passive) technical to buy or sell something on the stock exchange: Over a million shares were traded during the day.

4 trade insults/blows etc informal to insult or hit each other during an argument or fight

5 (I, T) especially AmE to exchange something you have for something someone else has: trade sth for: I'll trade my Roberto Clemente card for your Hank Aaron one. | We traded necklaces. | I'll trade you spoken (=used to say you want to exchange something): "I have peanut butter and jelly today.” “Trade you. I have cream cheese.”

trade sth down phrasal verb (T) especially AmE to sell something such as a car in order to buy one that costs less trade sth in phrasal verb (T) to give something such as a car to the person you are buying a new one from, so that you pay less: He traded his old car in for a new model. —see also: trade­in trade sth off phrasal verb (T) to balance one situation or quality against another, in order to produce an acceptable result: We have to trade off the cost of research against the danger that our competitors will overtake us. —see also: trade­off trade on/upon sth phrasal verb (T) to use a situation or someone's kindness in order to get an advantage for yourself: If you ask me they're just trading on Sam's good nature. trade up phrasal verb (I, T) to give a used item, such as a car, for a similar item which is more expensive or valuable: trade up sth: Diego's traded up his old car for a more expensive model.