From Middle English trade, introduced into English by Hanseatic merchants, from Middle Low German trade, from osx trada, from Proto-Germanic *tradō, and cognate with Old English tredan; ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *dreh₂-.

• IPA: /tɹeɪd/

trade

1. (uncountable) Buying and selling of goods and services on a market.

   Synonyms: commerce

2. (countable) A particular instance of buying or selling.

   I did no trades with them once the rumors started.

   Synonyms: deal, barter

3. (countable) An instance of bartering items in exchange for one another.
4. (countable) Those who perform a particular kind of skilled work.

   The skilled trades were the first to organize modern labor unions.

   Synonyms: business

5. (countable) Those engaged in an industry or group of related industries.

   It is not a retail showroom. It is only for the trade.

6. (countable) The skilled practice of a practical occupation.
   • 1969, Paul Simon, Simon & Garfunkel, “The Boxer”, Bridge over Troubled Water, Columbia Records:

     In the clearing stands a boxer and a fighter by his trade

   He learned his trade as an apprentice.
   Synonyms: craft
7. (countable or uncountable) An occupation in the secondary sector, as opposed to an agricultural, professional or military one.

   After failing his entrance exams, he decided to go into a trade.

   Most veterans went into trade when the war ended.

8. (uncountable, UK) The business given to a commercial establishment by its customers.

   Even before noon there was considerable trade.

   Synonyms: patronage

9. (mostly, in the plural) Steady winds blowing from east to west above and below the equator.

   They rode the trades going west.

10. (only as plural) A publication intended for participants in an industry or related group of industries.

    Rumors about layoffs are all over the trades.

11. (uncountable, gay slang) A masculine man available for casual sex with men, often for pay. (Compare rough trade.)

    Josh picked up some trade last night.

12. (obsolete, uncountable) Instruments of any occupation.
13. (mining) Refuse or rubbish from a mine.
14. (obsolete) A track or trail; a way; a path; passage.
15. (obsolete) Course; custom; practice; occupation.
    • c. 1603–1604 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Measure for Measure”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC ↗, [Act III, scene i]:

      Thy sin's not accidental but a trade.

• French: commerce
• German: Handel, Kommerz
• Italian: commercio
• Portuguese: comércio
• Russian: торго́вля
• Spanish: comercio, gremio, compraventa

• French: commerce, magasin
• German: Handel, Geschäft
• Portuguese: negócio

• French: négoce
• German: Tausch, Handel
• Portuguese: troca
• Russian: обме́н

• French: corps de métier
• German: Facharbeiter
• Portuguese: ofício

• French: ouvriers, techniciens

• French: métier
• German: Handwerk
• Italian: mestiere
• Portuguese: ofício
• Russian: ремесло́

• French: affaires, négoce
• Portuguese: freguesia
• Russian: торго́вля

• German: Passat, Passatwind
• Russian: пасса́т

• French: presse spécialisée

trade (trades, present participle trading; simple past and past participle traded)

1. (ambitransitive) To engage in trade.

   Synonyms: deal

   This company trades (in) precious metal.

2. (finance, intransitive, copulative) To be traded at a certain price or under certain conditions.

   Apple is trading at $200.

   ExxonMobil trades on the NYSE.

   The stock is trading rich relative to its sector.

3. (transitive, with for) To give (something) in exchange (for).

   Synonyms: exchange, swap, switch, truck

   Will you trade your precious watch for my earring?

4. (transitive) To mutually exchange (something) (with).

   The rival schoolboys traded insults.

5. (transitive, with on) To use or exploit a particular aspect, such as a name, reputation, or image, to gain advantage or benefit.

   Synonyms: exploit, capitalize on, take advantage of, use, leverage, benefit from, make use of, milk

   Some musicians try to trade on their past success by playing the same hits over and over again.

6. (gardening, transitive or intransitive) To give someone a plant and receive a different one in return.
7. (ambitransitive) To do business; offer for sale as for one's livelihood.

   Synonyms: do business

8. (intransitive) To have dealings; to be concerned or associated (with).
   • c. 1606 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Macbeth”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC ↗, [Act III, scene v]:

     Saucy and over bold, how did you dare / To trade and traffic with Macbeth

9. (transitive) To recommend and get recommendations.

   Synonyms: exchange

• French: commercer
• German: handeln
• Italian: commerciare, trafficare
• Spanish: comerciar, mercadear

• French: échanger
• Italian: scambiare, barattare
• Portuguese: trocar
• Spanish: trocar, intercambiar

• Russian: эксплуати́ровать

trade (not comparable)

1. Of a product, produced for sale in the ordinary bulk retail trade and hence of only the most basic quality.
   • 1912, Arthur Conan Doyle, The Lost World […], London; New York, N.Y.: Hodder and Stoughton, →OCLC ↗:

     "It is monstrous - grotesque." "But what made him draw such an animal?" "Trade gin, I should think."