horse trade
Definition
- Noun:
- A negotiation or exchange characterized by shrewd bargaining and compromise, often involving political favors or concessions: The term originates from the practice of trading horses, which involved extensive haggling over the animals' value and condition. It now broadly describes any tough, pragmatic negotiation where each party gives and takes to reach a deal.
Usage
- Noun:
- The final budget was the result of intense horse trade between the two political parties.
- Securing the contract required more than just a simple agreement; it was a classic horse trade.
Advanced Usage
- "to horse-trade" (verb, often hyphenated): To engage in shrewd bargaining or political wheeling and dealing.
- The legislators spent the afternoon horse-trading over the amendments to the bill.
- He is known for his ability to horse-trade and get what he wants in a negotiation.
Variants and Related Words
- Horse-trading (noun, often hyphenated): The act or process of engaging in shrewd bargaining.
- The horse-trading in the senate corridors went on for weeks.
- Horse-trader (noun, often hyphenated): A person who is skilled at making shrewd deals or political bargains.
- He built his career as a savvy political horse-trader.
Synonyms
- Bargaining: Negotiating the terms of an agreement.
- Haggling: Disputing or bargaining persistently, especially over a price.
- Wheeling and dealing: Engaging in clever, and sometimes tricky, business or political negotiations.
Related Idioms
- "Wheel and deal": To engage in clever, complex, and sometimes shrewd negotiations or business transactions.
- He loves to wheel and deal in the stock market.
- "Cut a deal": To make an agreement, especially after negotiations.
- The two companies finally cut a deal after months of talks.
Noun
-
the swapping of horses (accompanied by much bargaining)
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