dicker

¹ American  

[dik-er] / ˈdɪk ər /

verb (used without object)

1. to deal, swap, or trade with petty bargaining; bargain; haggle.

2. to barter.

3. to try to arrange matters by mutual bargaining.

   They dickered for hours over some of the finer points of the contract.

---

noun

1. a petty bargain.

2. a barter or swap.

3. an item or goods bartered or swapped.

4. a deal, especially a political deal.

dicker ² American  

[dik-er] / ˈdɪk ər /

noun

1. the number or quantity ten, especially a lot of ten hides or skins.

---

dicker British  

/ ˈdɪkə /

verb

1. to trade (goods) by bargaining; barter

2. (intr) to negotiate a political deal

---

noun

1. 1. a petty bargain or barter

   2. the item or items bargained or bartered

2. a political deal or bargain

Etymology

Origin of dicker¹

An Americanism dating back to 1795–1805; perhaps verb use of dicker ²

Origin of dicker²

First recorded in 1225–75; Middle English diker, deker, from Old French dacre and Medieval Latin dikeria, dacra; ultimately from Latin decuria decury

Example Sentences

And Europeans will think that they have a license to dicker with China, too.

From Washington Post • Mar. 1, 2023

The celebrity may dicker over the price, but ultimately reach an agreement.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 5, 2021

Watching Matt Carpenter dicker and eye-roll over balls and strikes like he's Ted Williams.

From The Guardian • Oct. 11, 2012

But we will cease to bargain and dicker over merit aid awards once offered, including requests to match or exceed another institution’s merit aid offer.

From New York Times • Feb. 18, 2011

“I’m in no mood for a lengthy dicker, Kaerva,” I said shortly.

From "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss

Related Words

• haggle