verb
trade
trayd
verb
1
To buy and sell goods, services, or securities.
"The two countries agreed to trade freely without tariffs."
"She trades stocks online from her laptop."
2
To give something and receive something else in return.
"The kids traded snacks at lunch."
noun
1
The buying and selling of goods and services.
"Trade between the two nations has grown steadily."
2
A skilled occupation or craft, usually one that requires manual skill and training.
"He learned the plumbing trade from his father."
How to Use Trade
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishBuying, selling, or exchanging goods — or a skilled manual occupation.
Common pairings
free trade
trade with
trade for
learn a trade
Word Forms
traded past tense, trades singular
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The two countries agreed to _____ freely without tariffs.
Etymology
From Middle Low German trade, meaning "track" or "course," brought into English by Hanseatic merchants — the sense shifted from a merchant's regular route to commerce itself.