horse trade
- noun
- /hɔrs treɪd/
:
trueque de caballos
- Back in the old days, a horse trade would often last for hours as each side tried to get the better deal.
Examples
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The horse trade in the region has become quite competitive.
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In the past, a horse trade could involve hours of negotiation between buyers and sellers to get a fair price.
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He became known in the county for his skillful horse trade.
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The horse trade ended with both men satisfied with their bargains.
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Many farmers engage in horse trades during the summer.
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His reputation for making great deals in horse trade attracted many customers to the market.
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After a long horse trade, they both agreed on a price that favored each party.
Synonyms
∞
1.0
Buying, selling, or exchanging goods and services between businesses and people
515
2.1
The act of giving something and getting something in return
20
3.5
An exchange of goods or services directly for other goods without using money
Buying and selling horses by careful bargaining
How Hard-Nosed
Surface Forms
Morphology
A learner who knows 'horse' and 'trade' can readily infer the literal meaning (the buying/selling of horses), so the composition is partially transparent. However, the common extended sense referring to hard bargaining or political negotiation is a metaphorical extension of the literal sense and is not fully predictable without exposure, making the overall phrase semi-transparent.
Etymology
The noun horse trade comes from the old practice of swapping animals: people would bring a horse and trade it with someone else after long bargaining. That's why today 'horse trade' means 'a tough negotiation' or 'a swap where each side tries to get the best deal'.