chaffer

views updated May 23 2018

chaf·fer / ˈchafər/ • v. [intr.] haggle about the terms of an agreement or price of something.• n. archaic haggling about the price of something.DERIVATIVES: chaff·er·er n.

chaffer

views updated May 21 2018

chaffer traffic, trade; merchandise. XIII. ME. chaf-, cheffare, ch(e)apfare :- OE. *ċēapfaru, f. ċēap bargain, sale + faru going, journey, proceedings (prob. after ON. kaupfǫr trading journey); see CHEAP, FARE. The orig. word became obs. in XVII; a new sb. meaning ‘bargaining’, f. the vb., appeared XIX.
Hence chaffer vb. †trade; bargain, haggle XIV.