| 释义 |
cheap
I. transitive verb
(-ed/-ing/-s)
Etymology: Middle English chepen, from Old English cēapian to buy; akin to Old High German koufōn, Old Norse kaupa, Gothic kaupōn
1. obsolete : to ask the price of : price
2. obsolete : to bargain or bid for
II. \ˈchēp\ noun
(-s)
Etymology: Middle English chep, from Old English cēap trade, purchase, sale; akin to Old High German kouf trade, koufo merchant, Old Norse kaup bargain, Gothic kaupōn to trade; all from a prehistoric Germanic word stem borrowed from Latin caupo tradesman, innkeeper: perhaps akin to Greek kapēlos tradesman, innkeeper
obs Britain : bargain — now used only in the phrase on the cheap
•
- on the cheap
III. adjective
(-er/-est)
Etymology: cheap (II) (in such phrases as at good cheap at a bargain)
1.
a. : of small cost : inexpensive especially as compared with the going price or the real value
< living is cheaper during the summer than in winter >
— formerly used with good or great
< food is good cheap in a time of plenty >
b. : charging a comparatively low price
< the cheaper stores >
c. : dealing in low-priced goods
< the cheap stores along the waterfront >
d. depreciated in value (as by currency inflation)
< cheap dollars >
2. : costing little labor or effort or involving little trouble to obtain : easily obtained or attained
< a cheap victory >
< cheap kisses >
— formerly used with good or great
< compliments are good cheap >
3.
a. : of inferior quality : of small intrinsic worth : shoddy, tawdry, meretricious
< the cheap novel does not itself turn back to reality — Bernard De Voto >
< nothing is cheap about this volume but its price — S.L.Faison >
< cheap publicity >
b. : worthy of scorn or rejection : unredeemed by any fine or lofty qualities : contemptible
< a cheap and nasty life — G.B.Shaw >
< a cheap and vulgar remark >
< he feels pretty cheap >
4.
a. : yielding small satisfaction
< cheap entertainment >
b. : paying or able to pay less than given amounts
< a cheaper class of customers >
5. of money : obtainable at a low rate of interest
6. Britain : specially reduced in price
< a cheap day ticket to Manchester — S.P.B.Mais >
Synonyms: see contemptible
•
- cheap of
IV. adverb
: cheaply
< bought the article cheap > |