TRADE

A track; a trail; a way; a path; also, passage; travel; resort. [Obs.] A postern with a blind wicket there was, A common trade to pass through Priam's house. Surrey. Hath tracted forth some salvage beastes trade. Spenser. Or, I'll be buried in the king's highway, Some way of common trade, where subjects' feet May hourly trample on their sovereign's head. Shak.

Course; custom; practice; occupation; employment. [Obs.] "The right trade of religion." Udall. There those five sisters had continual trade. Spenser. Long did I love this lady, Long was my travel, long my trade to win her. Massinger. Thy sin's not accidental but a trade. Shak.

Business of any kind; matter of mutual consideration; affair; dealing. [Obs.] Have you any further trade with us Shak.

Specifically: The act or business of exchanging commodities by barter, or by buying and selling for money; commerce; traffic; barter.

The business which a person has learned, and which he engages in, for procuring subsistence, or for profit; occupation; especially, mechanical employment as distinguished from the liberal arts, the learned professions, and agriculture; as, we speak of the trade of a smith, of a carpenter, or mason, but not now of the trade of a farmer, or a lawyer, or a physician. Accursed usury was all his trade. Spenser. The homely, slighted, shepherd's trade. Milton. I will instruct thee in my trade. Shak.

Instruments of any occupation. [Obs.] The house and household goods, his trade of war. Dryden.

A company of men engaged in the same occupation; thus, booksellers and publishers speak of the customs of the trade, and are collectively designated as the trade.

The trade winds.

Refuse or rubbish from a mine. [Prov. Eng.]

To barter, or to buy and sell; to be engaged in the exchange, purchase, or sale of goods, wares, merchandise, or anything else; to traffic; to bargain; to carry on commerce as a business. A free port, where nations . . . resorted with their goods and traded. Arbuthnot.

To buy and sell or exchange property in a single instance.

To have dealings; to be concerned or associated; -- usually followed by with. How did you dare to trade and traffic with Macbeth Shak.

To sell or exchange in commerce; to barter. They traded the persons of men. Ezek. xxvii. 13. To dicker and to swop, to trade rifles and watches. Cooper.

imp. of Tread.