deal

1 /di:l/ verb past tense and past participle dealt /delt/

1 also deal out (I, T) to give playing cards to each of the players in a game: deal sth (out) to sb: Deal out three cards to each player.

2 (I) informal to buy and sell illegal drugs: Many users end up dealing to support their habit.

3 deal a blow literary

a) to cause harm to someone or something: deal a crippling/decisive etc blow (=cause very serious harm): The recession dealt many small businesses a fatal blow.

b) to hit someone

deal in sth phrasal verb (T)

1 to buy and sell a particular type of product: dealing in 19th century watercolours

—see also: dealer (1)

2 to have a particular attitude to your work: As a scientist, I do not deal in speculation.

deal out sth phrasal verb (T)

1 to give playing cards to each of the players in a game

2 to decide what kind of punishment someone will get

deal with sb/sth phrasal verb (T)

1 to take the correct action for a piece of work, type of work etc: Who's dealing with the Glaxo account?

2 to succeed in solving a problem: Don't worry, Mr Symes, it's already been dealt with.

3 to succeed in controlling an emotional problem so that it does not affect your life: It's OK, I'm dealing with it so far.

4 to do business with someone or have a business connection with someone: I've dealt with them for a long time.

5 if a book, speech, work of art etc deals with a particular subject, it is about that subject: These ideas are dealt with more fully in Chapter Four.

2 noun

1 a great deal also a good deal a large quantity of something

(+ of): A great deal of their work is unpaid. | a great deal more/a great deal longer etc (=a lot more, longer etc): He knew a good deal more than I did.

2 AGREEMENT (C) an agreement or arrangement, especially in business or politics, that helps both sides involved: The band has negotiated a new deal with their record company. | get a good deal (=buy something at a good price): You can get some really good deals from travel agents right now. | strike/make/cut/do a deal (=produce or make an agreement): The two teams did a deal and Robson was traded.

3 it's a deal spoken used to say that you agree to do something: “OK, $500, but that's my last offer.” “OK, it's a deal.”

4 TREATMENT (countable usually singular) treatment of a particular type that is given or received: a better/fairer deal: a better deal for nurses | a new deal (=a new and fairer system of social or political treatment): The prime minister promised a new deal for farmers. | a rough/raw deal (=unfair treatment): Women tend to get a raw deal from employers.

5 GAME (singular) the process of giving out cards to players in a card game: It's your deal, Alison.

—see also: dealer (3)

6 WOOD (U) BrE fir or pine 1 (2) wood used for making things: a deal table

7 a deal of old-fashioned a large quantity of something

—see also: big deal big (7) USAGE NOTE: DEAL GRAMMAR A great/good deal of... is usually only used with uncountable nouns: a great deal of time/money/difficulty/pressure/interest. Compare: There's been a good deal of change with: There have been a good many changes.