- 1 [intransitive, transitive] to buy and sell things trade (in something) (with somebody) The firm openly traded in arms. Early explorers traded directly with the Indians. trading partners (= countries that you trade with) trade something (with somebody) Our products are now traded worldwide. Oxford Collocations Dictionary adverbprofitably, successfully, actively, … verb + tradecontinue to, cease to prepositionas, in, with, … phrasescease trading, continue trading, trade under the name (of) something, … See full entry See related entries: Economy
- 2[intransitive] to exist and operate as a business or company The firm has now ceased trading. trade as somebody/something They traded as ‘Walker and Son’. Oxford Collocations Dictionary adverbprofitably, successfully, actively, … verb + tradecontinue to, cease to prepositionas, in, with, … phrasescease trading, continue trading, trade under the name (of) something, … See full entry
- 3[intransitive, transitive] trade (something) to be bought and sold, or to buy and sell something, on a stock exchange Shares were trading at under half their usual value. Oxford Collocations Dictionary adverbprofitably, successfully, actively, … verb + tradecontinue to, cease to prepositionas, in, with, … phrasescease trading, continue trading, trade under the name (of) something, … See full entry See related entries: Economy
- 4[transitive] to exchange something that you have for something that somebody else has trade (somebody) something to trade secrets/insults/jokes trade something for something She traded her posters for his CD. trade something with somebody I wouldn't mind trading places with her for a day. Word Originlate Middle English (as a noun): from Middle Low German, literally ‘track’, of West Germanic origin; related to tread. Early senses included ‘course, way of life’, which gave rise in the 16th cent. to ‘habitual practice of an occupation’, ‘skilled handicraft’. The current verb senses date from the late 16th cent.Extra examples He claimed that all businesses should be able to trade freely on Sundays. The company has now ceased trading. The company openly traded in arms. The company trades under the name ‘English Estates’. They now trade as a partnership. countries trading illegally in rhinoceros horn publicly traded securities After settling in Madeira they began trading in flour, sugar and leather. Cabinet colleagues traded insults over the future of the pound. I wouldn’t mind trading places with her for a day. The countries are now trading partners. The futures contract is traded at a clean price and does not include accrued interest payments. Phrasal Verbstrade attrade downtrade intrade offtrade ontrade up
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BrE BrE//treɪd//; NAmE NAmE//treɪd//
Verb Forms present simple I / you / we / they trade BrE BrE//treɪd//; NAmE NAmE//treɪd//
he / she / it trades BrE BrE//treɪdz//; NAmE NAmE//treɪdz//
past simple traded BrE BrE//ˈtreɪdɪd//; NAmE NAmE//ˈtreɪdɪd//
past participle traded BrE BrE//ˈtreɪdɪd//; NAmE NAmE//ˈtreɪdɪd//
-ing form trading BrE BrE//ˈtreɪdɪŋ//; NAmE NAmE//ˈtreɪdɪŋ//
EconomyCheck pronunciation: trade
