trade / trād/ • n. 1. the action of buying and selling goods and services: a move to ban all trade in ivory a significant increase in foreign trade | the meat trade. ∎ dated, chiefly derog. the practice of making one's living in business, as opposed to in a profession or from unearned income: the aristocratic classes were contemptuous of those in trade. ∎  (in sports) a transfer; an exchange: players can demand a trade after five years of service.2. a skilled job, typically one requiring manual skills and special training: the fundamentals of the construction trade | a carpenter by trade. ∎  (the trade) [treated as sing. or pl.] the people engaged in a particular area of business: in the trade this sort of computer is called “a client-based system.” ∎  (the trade) [treated as sing. or pl.] Brit. people licensed to sell alcoholic drink. ∎ inf. a person in gay male sexual encounters who is not penetrated sexually and usually considers himself to be heterosexual.3. (usu. trades) a trade wind: the north-east trades.• v. [intr.] buy and sell goods and services: middlemen trading in luxury goods. ∎  [tr.] buy or sell (a particular item or product): she has traded millions of dollars' worth of metals. ∎  (esp. of shares or currency) be bought and sold at a specified price: the dollar was trading where it was in January. ∎  [tr.] exchange (something) for something else, typically as a commercial transaction: they trade mud-shark livers for fish oil the hostages were traded for arms. ∎  [tr.] fig. give and receive (typically insults or blows): they traded a few punches. ∎  [tr.] transfer (a player) to another club or team.PHRASES: trade places change places.PHRASAL VERBS: trade down (or up) sell something in order to buy something similar but less (or more) expensive.trade something in exchange a used article in part payment for another: she traded in her Ford for a BMW.trade something off exchange something of value, esp. as part of a compromise: the government traded off economic advantages for political gains.trade on take advantage of (something), esp. in an unfair way: the government is trading on fears of inflation.DERIVATIVES: trad·a·ble (or trade·a·ble) adj.