to cut a deal
83
3.5
- phrasal verb
- /kʌt ə diːl/
- Informal
- After weeks of negotiation, the two companies finally cut a deal to collaborate on the new project.
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Watch on YouTubeWell, after several years, really a long hard slog of negotiations, they did cut a deal last year.
- Well, after several years, really a long hard slog of negotiations, they did cut a deal last year.
- That's that's comes from when I was homeless, I was so distraught at one point I cut a deal with God.
- And I'm about to cut a deal with BlackBerry to distribute all of my content to real estate agents around the world.
- If I were you, I would just give England to the Muslims and cut a deal and leave.
- So but he, I think he just cut a deal with Rich Dad, Poor Dad.
- You know, they would literally be in a room with somebody cutting a deal and then they come out and tell us and it wasn't.
- But now you're only limited to the things that that factory knows about, has access to and can cut a deal with.
Examples
-
We just cut a big deal on our property tax appeals.
-
Yes, that made Wall Street a little more transparent because you cut a deal with a hedge fund broker.
-
Just tell me what you want and we'll cut a deal here.
-
You know, I think, uh, I think we can cut a deal here.
-
Ed, if I cut a deal for you, I gotta cut one for everybody.
Fiction book (1994) -
What was important is that we cut a deal, and Kenny was finally free.
-
When Eddie first got his driver's license, he cut a deal with his dad.
Fiction book (1996) -
Well, after several years, really a long hard slog of negotiations, they did cut a deal last year.
-
The prosecutor will cut him a deal if he'll plead and roll on his buddy.
Fiction book (1998) -
Let's cut a deal.
Synonyms
802
3.7
Try to reach an agreement by talking, often about business terms
515
3.3
To end an argument by agreement or decision
159
3.7
To settle a disagreement by each side giving up something
103
2.4
To discuss the price or terms to get a better deal
95
4.7
To reach an agreement or a fair balance
42
3.0
Decide together after talking about the terms
35
4.1
To reach an agreement with someone to end a dispute
34
5.1
To finally get something after a long effort
31
4.0
Make an agreement official by accepting its final terms
25
3.4
To agree with someone after talking about the details
22
3.5
Each person gives up some of what they want to reach an agreement
11
4.1
Agree on a middle amount between two offers
7
6.9
To make deals quickly and cleverly to get an advantage
5
4.7
Pay someone what you owe or agree to end a disagreement
3
8.4
To bargain about a price before buying something
3
7.3
To make a deal by talking in a tough, smart way
3
3.4
Successfully get a business agreement or contract
2
9.9
To negotiate formally with another group to reach agreement
1
4.9
To discuss the details of an agreement until both sides agree
1
5.7
Talk about things fully to reach an agreement when people disagree
To negotiate strongly to get a better price or better terms
How Decisive
∞
1.0
- Informal
31
4.0
- Informal
83
3.5
- Formal
802
3.7
∞
1.6
Surface Forms
Morphology
The noun 'deal' clearly signals an agreement, so learners who know that word will suspect the expression involves an agreement; however the verb 'cut' is used metaphorically here (≈ 'make/strike/close') rather than its basic sense of slicing, which is not fully predictable. Because part of the meaning is recoverable from 'deal' but the verb sense is idiomatic and cross-linguistically variable, this is best classified as semi-transparent.
Etymology
Cut a deal may come from a simple bargaining image: two people would actually cut a piece of cloth or cake to show how they would share and so make the deal real. So, cut a deal now means 'to make an agreement' after talking and negotiating.