horse trading

American  

noun

1. the act or fact of conducting a shrewd exchange or engaging in a horse trade; bargaining.

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horse trading British  

noun

1. hard bargaining to obtain equal concessions by both sides in a dispute

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horse trading Idioms  

1. Negotiation marked by hard bargaining and shrewd exchange. For example, The restaurant owner is famous for his horse trading; he's just exchanged a month of free dinners for a month of free television commercials. This expression alludes to the notorious shrewdness of horse traders, who literally bought and sold horses. [c. 1820]

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Etymology

Origin of horse trading

An Americanism dating back to 1820–30

Example Sentences

That means extensive glad-handing and horse trading before the famously blunt Milei can get started on a daunting legislative agenda.

From Barron's • Oct. 28, 2025

"Party discipline takes second place where there is constituency money involved," says Prof Logsdon, a seasoned watcher of the horse trading that goes on with space politics in Congress.

From BBC • Feb. 1, 2025

Archaeological analysis of a near unique animal cemetery discovered in London nearly 30 years ago has revealed the international scale of horse trading by the elites of late medieval and Tudor England.

From Science Daily • Mar. 22, 2024

There may be weeks of horse trading — or a new election later this year.

From New York Times • Jul. 24, 2023

There is a great deal of dishonesty in horse trading and an honest seller who has nothing to conceal should be willing to grant a fair trial of a week or more.

From Outdoor Sports and Games by Miller, Claude H.