haggle

Definition

To argue for a better deal, especially over prices with a seller.

Etymology

1570s, "to cut unevenly" (implied in haggler), frequentative of Middle English haggen (“to chop”), variant of hacken (“to hack”), equivalent to hack + -le. Sense of "argue about price" first recorded c.1600, probably from notion of chopping away.

Example Sentences

• "I haggled for a better price because the original price was too high."
• "‘I am pretty useless at haggling. Haggling means asking the seller to sell stuff below the asking price.’"
• "Last month, while officials from Washington and Beijing were haggling over whether to roll back tariffs that had brought their trade to a standstill, Chinese companies announced plans to invest about $4.7 billion in Brazil."

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