Definition

1. Noun:

   • An agreement or arrangement, especially in business: A formal or informal agreement between parties, often involving buying, selling, or exchanging goods or services.
   • A large but indefinite quantity or amount: Often used in the phrases "a great deal" or "a good deal" to mean a large amount or extent.
   • The act of distributing playing cards in a game: The action of giving cards to players at the start of a card game.
   • The cards held by a player in a card game: The set of cards a player receives in a particular round or hand.
   • A particular type of treatment or way of handling a situation: The manner in which someone is treated or a situation is managed.
   • Wood from pine or fir trees: Softwood from coniferous trees, often used for making boards or planks.

2. Verb:

   • To distribute or give out something: To hand out or apportion items, especially cards in a game.
   • To buy and sell goods; to trade: To be involved in commercial transactions, often as a business.
   • To take action to solve a problem or handle a situation: To manage, cope with, or address an issue or person.
   • To behave towards someone in a particular way: To interact with or treat a person in a specified manner.
   • To inflict or deliver a blow: To strike someone or something.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:

  • They closed a lucrative deal with the new supplier. (They finalized a profitable business agreement.)
  • She has a great deal of experience in this field. (She has a very large amount of experience.)
  • Whose deal is it? It's your turn to shuffle and deal. (Whose turn is it to distribute the cards?)
  • He was holding a terrible deal of cards. (He had a very poor hand of cards.)
  • The new policy promises a fairer deal for consumers. (The new policy promises fairer treatment.)
  • The table was made of solid pine deal. (The table was made from pine wood.)

• Verb:

  • Please deal the cards for the next round. (Please distribute the cards.)
  • This company deals in rare antiques. (This company trades in rare antiques.)
  • We need to deal with this complaint immediately. (We need to handle this complaint.)
  • He always deals fairly with his colleagues. (He always treats his colleagues justly.)
  • The boxer dealt a powerful blow to his opponent. (The boxer delivered a powerful strike.)

Advanced Usage

• "to deal in": to trade or sell a particular type of goods.

  • He deals in fine art and jewelry. (His business involves selling fine art and jewelry.)

• "to deal with": to handle, manage, or be concerned with a person, problem, or topic.

  • This chapter deals with the causes of the war. (This chapter is concerned with the causes.)
  • I prefer to deal with the manager directly. (I prefer to handle matters with the manager.)

• "a raw deal": unfair or harsh treatment.

  • The employees felt they got a raw deal when the bonuses were canceled. (They felt treated unfairly.)

• "to strike a deal": to reach an agreement.

  • The two companies finally struck a deal after months of negotiation. (They finally reached an agreement.)

Variants and Related Words

• Dealer (n): A person or business that buys and sells goods, especially a trader in a specific market (e.g., car dealer, art dealer).
• Dealing (n): The activity of buying, selling, or doing business; also, one's behavior towards others (e.g., fair dealing, underhand dealings).
• Dealings (n, plural): Business transactions or relations with others.

Synonyms

• Agreement, contract (for the noun meaning an arrangement).
• Distribute, dispense (for the verb meaning to give out).
• Trade, traffic (for the verb meaning to buy and sell).
• Handle, manage, cope with (for the verb meaning to take action on a problem).

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Deal in: To trade in something.
  • As mentioned, he deals in luxury cars.
• Deal out: To distribute or exclude someone from something.
  • She dealt out the cookies to the children. (She distributed the cookies.)
  • He felt dealt out of the decision-making process. (He felt excluded.)
• Deal with: To handle, manage, or be about something.
  • We must deal with the financial crisis. (We must manage the crisis.)

Related Idioms

• A done deal: Something that has been finally agreed upon or decided and cannot be changed.
  • The merger is a done deal; the contracts are signed.
• Wheel and deal: To engage in clever, complex, and sometimes shrewd business or political negotiations.
  • Politicians often wheel and deal to pass new laws.
• Big deal: Used sarcastically to say something is not important or impressive, or literally to mean an important thing/event.
  • So you got a new phone? Big deal. (Sarcastic: It's not impressive.)
  • Signing this contract is a big deal for our company. (Literal: It's very important.)

Noun

1. the act of apportioning or distributing something
   • the captain was entrusted with the deal of provisions
2. the act of distributing playing cards
   • the deal was passed around the table clockwise
3. the type of treatment received (especially as the result of an agreement)
   • he got a good deal on his car
4. the cards held in a card game by a given player at any given time
   • I didn't hold a good hand all evening
   • he kept trying to see my hand
5. wood that is easy to saw (from conifers such as pine or fir)
6. a plank of softwood (fir or pine board)
7. (often followed by `of') a large number or amount or extent
   • a batch of letters
   • a deal of trouble
   • a lot of money
   • he made a mint on the stock market
   • see the rest of the winners in our huge passel of photos
   • it must have cost plenty
   • a slew of journalists
   • a wad of money
8. an agreement between parties (usually arrived at after discussion) fixing obligations of each
   • he made a bargain with the devil
   • he rose to prominence through a series of shady deals
9. a particular instance of buying or selling
   • it was a package deal
   • I had no further trade with him
   • he's a master of the business deal

Verb

1. sell
   • deal hashish
2. give (a specific card) to a player
   • He dealt me the Queen of Spades
3. give out as one's portion or share
4. direct the course of; manage or control
   • You cannot conduct business like this
5. distribute cards to the players in a game
   • Who's dealing?
6. behave in a certain way towards others
   • He deals fairly with his employees
7. be in charge of, act on, or dispose of
   • I can deal with this crew of workers
   • This blender can't handle nuts
   • She managed her parents' affairs after they got too old
8. do business; offer for sale as for one's livelihood
   • She deals in gold
   • The brothers sell shoes
9. administer or bestow, as in small portions
   • administer critical remarks to everyone present
   • dole out some money
   • shell out pocket money for the children
   • deal a blow to someone
   • the machine dispenses soft drinks
10. come to terms with
    • We got by on just a gallon of gas
    • They made do on half a loaf of bread every day
11. take action with respect to (someone or something)
    • How are we going to deal with this problem?
    • The teacher knew how to deal with these lazy students
12. take into consideration for exemplifying purposes
    • Take the case of China
    • Consider the following case
13. act on verbally or in some form of artistic expression
    • This book deals with incest
    • The course covered all of Western Civilization
    • The new book treats the history of China