bargain for

British  

verb

1. (intr, preposition) to expect; anticipate (a style of behaviour, change in fortune, etc)

   he got more than he bargained for

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bargain for Idioms  

1. Also, bargain over . Negotiate about something, usually a price. For example, In open-air markets it is standard practice to bargain for the best price . [Late 1300s]

2. Also, bargain on . Expect, be prepared for, as in In planning the picnic, we hadn't bargained for bad weather , or I hadn't bargained on John's coming along . [c. 1800] For a synonym, see count on .

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Example Sentences

That implies it would be a bargain for investors who put profits first, with a similar view emerging for Amazon, with its PEG ratio of 1.9, versus Walmart at 5.76 and Costco at 5.2.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 18, 2026

What they didn’t bargain for were the animated actions of former D.C. cop Michael Fanone, who was in the chamber wearing a Dropkick Murphys T-shirt that read “Fighting Nazis Since 1996.”

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 11, 2026

And I have consistently paid about $1,500 in annual union dues in the belief that my union would use the money to bargain for better wages, fair working conditions and classroom improvements.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 17, 2025

What he really did not bargain for was the Old Trafford side hurtling backwards at such an alarming rate.

From BBC • Apr. 1, 2025

Smiling, he went ashore with Captain Prince and Mr. Cheevers to bargain for their cargo of coffee.

From "Carry On, Mr. Bowditch" by Jean Lee Latham