horse-tradingn.
/ˈhɔːsˌtreɪdɪŋ/, U.S. /ˈhɔrsˌtreɪdɪŋ/ Originally North American.
1. Originally U.S. The sale and purchase of horses, esp. as a commercial activity.
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society > trade and finance > specific types of trade > [noun] > trade in horses
horse tradec1760
horse-jockeying1783
horse-trading1826
horse-chanting1841
horse-coping1841
coping1864
1826 T. Flint Recoll. Last Ten Years ix. 64 Horse-trading..seems to be a favorite and universal amusement.
1891 C. Roberts Adrift in Amer. 190 We stayed in camp here for two days, during which time we did some horse-trading.
1902 A. D. McFaul Ike Glidden in Maine iv. 28 A horse-trading expedition.
2005 Scotsman (Nexis) 13 June 11 There was at least a lingering romantic notion that the sport of kings..was at least a sport. Now it is part of the leisure industry, the races mere preambles to the seriously lucrative business of breeding and horse-trading.
2. Negotiation accompanied by shrewd or skilful bargaining.Chiefly in political contexts, and often with the implication of unfair or underhand practices or behaviour.
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1926 Calif. Hist. Soc. Q. 5 152 From the Indian fish has been procured while he, in turn, has received glass, trinkets, and a taste for horse-trading and barter so inbred in human nature.
1947 Forum (S. Afr.) 24 May 4/3 It was certain that some hard bargaining had taken place in that upstairs conference room, political horsetrading at which South Africa's politicians are adept.
1971 New Scientist 20 May 460/1 A powerful ingredient in all this horsetrading is the continually deteriorating employment situation in the aerospace industry.
2021 Independent (Nexis) 29 Sept. 38 They face the likelihood of a three-party coalition government that will reflect weeks of horse-trading in which cherished policies are trimmed or dropped.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2022).
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n.1826