Cheapening

1 definition found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Cheapen \Cheap"en\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Cheapened}; p. pr. &
     vb. n. {Cheapening}.] [OE. cheapien, chepen, to trade, buy,
     sell, AS. ce['a]pian; akin to D. koopen to buy, G. kaufen,
     Icel. kaupa, Goth. kaup[=o]n to trade. Cf. {Chap} to
     bargain.]
     1. To ask the price of; to bid, bargain, or chaffer for.


        [Obsoles.]
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              Pretend to cheapen goods, but nothing buy. --Swift.
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     2. [Cf. {Cheap}, a.] To beat down the price of; to lessen the
        value of; to depreciate. --Pope.
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              My proffered love has cheapened me.   --Dryden.
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