deal in
Idioms-
Also, deal with . Be occupied or concerned with, as in Jim deals in generalities , or This book deals with idioms . The first term dates from the late 1500s, the variant from about 1300.
-
Do business or trade in something, as in They deal in diamonds . [Late 1500s] Also see deal with .
-
deal someone in . Also, deal one a hand . Include someone, give someone a share, as in I hope they'll deal me in on this new enterprise . This usage comes from card games, where to deal has meant “to distribute cards” since the 16th century. [Early 1900s]
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Such synergies will be enshrined forever--or at least until the next deal--in the proposed name of the merged colossus: Vivendi Universal.
From Time Magazine Archive
![]()
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.