Definition

1. Noun:

   • The business of selling goods in large quantities, typically to retailers for onward sale to consumers. This is the core commercial meaning.

2. Adjective:

   • Relating to or engaged in the sale of goods in large quantities at low prices to retailers.
   • Done on a large scale; extensive and indiscriminate. This is a figurative extension of the core meaning.

3. Adverb:

   • In a way that relates to the wholesale business (e.g., buying or selling in large quantities at lower prices).
   • On a large scale; extensively and indiscriminately.

4. Verb:

   • To sell goods in large quantities at low prices, typically to retailers.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The company is involved in the wholesale of electronic components.
• Adjective:
  • We offer wholesale prices to registered businesses.
  • The policy led to the wholesale dismissal of the department's staff.
• Adverb:
  • She buys fabric wholesale for her clothing line.
  • The old regulations were rejected wholesale.
• Verb:
  • This distributor wholesales products to shops across the country.

Advanced Usage

• "by wholesale": An alternative adverbial phrase meaning 'in large quantities' or 'indiscriminately'.
  • The company purchased its supplies by wholesale.
• Used figuratively to emphasize the complete, sweeping nature of an action.
  • The report called for a wholesale reform of the system.

Variants and Related Words

• Wholesaler (noun): A person or company that sells goods in large quantities at low prices to retailers.
  • He is a wholesaler of fresh produce.
• Wholesaling (noun/gerund): The activity of selling goods wholesale.
  • Their business model focuses on wholesaling.

Synonyms

• Noun: Bulk selling, distribution.
• Adjective/Adverb: Extensive, sweeping, indiscriminate, large-scale, across-the-board.
• Verb: Distribute, supply in bulk.

Related Phrases

• Wholesale price: The price charged for goods sold in large quantities to retailers.
  • The wholesale price is significantly lower than the retail price.
• Wholesale market: A market where goods are sold in large quantities to traders.
  • They source their vegetables from the wholesale market at dawn.

Adjective

1. ignoring distinctions
   • sweeping generalizations
   • wholesale destruction

Adverb

1. on a large scale without careful discrimination
   • I buy food wholesale
2. at a wholesale price
   • I can sell it to you wholesale

Noun

1. the selling of goods to merchants; usually in large quantities for resale to consumers

Verb

1. sell in large quantities