Bargain: Something Cheap, and the Haggling That Made It So
A bargain is a good deal, or the agreement two sides reach after negotiating. The verb means to haggle, which explains why the noun ended up meaning cheap.
A bargain is both the agreement and the prize. Two people bargain over a price, and what they settle on is the bargain. Over time the word slid from the process to the result, and today most people mean only one thing by it: something that cost less than it should have.
- A thing bought cheaply. *The coat was a bargain at fifteen pounds.*
- An agreement between two sides. *They struck a bargain over the land.*
- To negotiate (verb). *The union bargained for better hours.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | bargain | A real bargain. |
| Verb | bargain | They bargained all morning. |
| Noun | bargaining | Collective bargaining. |
| Person | bargainer | A tough bargainer. |
| Phrasal | bargain for | More than he bargained for. |
How it is used in a sentence
- At that price it is a bargain.The most common use — value for money.
- We struck a bargain and shook hands.Strike, make and drive are the usual verbs.
- He got more than he bargained for.Received an unwelcome extra, never a pleasant one.
Phrases worth knowing
- Into the bargain — in addition, on top of everything else
- Drive a hard bargain — negotiate ruthlessly
- Bargaining chip — something held back to trade later
- Collective bargaining — negotiation between employers and a union
From Old French *bargaignier*, to haggle. The word entered English in the fourteenth century meaning the act of trading; the sense of a cheap purchase only settled later, once shops began advertising.
Bargain for or bargain with?
You bargain with a person and bargain for a thing. *Bargain for* also means expect, usually in the negative.
Is into the bargain still used?
Yes, mostly in British English. Americans usually say *to boot* or simply *as well*.