Middle English Dictionary Entry
bargain(e n.
Entry Info
| Forms | bargain(e n. Also bargein(e, -an(e, -on, -en, -in, berga(i)n. |
| Etymology | OF bargai(g)ne |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A business transaction or agreement; trading, buying and selling; assaien (bien, maken) ~, undertake or conclude a business deal, make a purchase; hiren ~, ?transact business for someone else; ~ of termes, negotiation or stipulation of terms; (b) what one buys, a purchase; (c) merchandise.
Associated quotations
a
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)9 : Ine þise heste is uorbode roberie..and gauel, and bargayn wyþ oþren uor his oȝen to habbe.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)4.141 : Cithero wolde somtyme bigge an hous, but he was bewryed or þe bargayn was imade.
- (c1387-95) Chaucer CT.Prol.(Manly-Rickert)A.282 : A marchant..So estatly was he of his gouernaunce With his bargaynes and with his cheuysaunce.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)5.4414 : Yit wolde thei have a pound again, As doth Usure in his bargain.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)8.2431 : What bargain scholde a man assaie, Whan that him lacketh forto paie?
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)2.87 : Vsure and auarice alle I hem graunte In bargaines and in brokages.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)6.96 : He bouhte suche a bargayn, he was þe bet euere.
- (1442) RParl.5.56a : Be mene of eny manere contract, eschaunge, or eny bargeyn..Where Merchauntz straungers be Brocours..they preferre..the straungers..in all her bargeynes of Brocage.
- a1400 Siege Jerus.(1) (LdMisc 656)1311 : I schal marchaundise make..Alle þat here bodyes wol by or bargaynes make [etc.].
- (c1450) Contract in OSSLH 4206 : They wente to the Swan..and there they dronke to gederes upon the saide bargayn..to have sight of the evidences..concernyng the bargeyn of certeyn termez of a mees of the same William.
- (c1454) Pecock Fol.(Roy 17.D.9)58/4 : Grettist clerkis kunnen not make bargens into greet wynnyng..so wel as þei [merchants] kunnen.
- (1461) RParl.5.564b : By subtiell bargeyns made in biyng of Wolles..that noo maner persone, by hymself or eny other..take promesse of bargayn of eny Wolles than unshoren.
- (1464) Acc.Howard in RC 57261 : My mastyr payd to Thomas Copdoke..in party of payment off theyr bargeyn..v marc.
- a1500(?a1450) GRom.(Hrl 7333)288 : Whenne þat was payd, he tooke him þe ston and ȝede hom, and tolde his wife of þe bargayne.
- a1500 Henley Husb.(Sln 686)57 : Nowe by and sell in seasone & lok þt ye haue trewe men to hire your bargon, so þt ye haue recorde yeff myster be.
- a1500 Henley Husb.(Sln 686)58 : Yeff the bergan be not good, let hym..answere off þe vallue þer of bothe in pryse & in approumentes.
- a1500 Play Sacr.(Dub 652)193 : Tell me wat good ye haue to sell, And yf ony bargeny mad may be.
b
- (c1450) Contract in OSSLH 4206 : The saide Robert shulde come and have his bargayne and paye his money.
- (1452) Lin.DDoc.61/32 : I wol that Iohan lowe, Robert Parys..haue and reioyse theire bargayn of the tymbir and wod..which I haue solde to hem.
- (c1465) Stonor1.68 : The parson..put hem from the bargeyne.
c
- a1500 Play Sacr.(Dub 652)165 : I haue bargenes royalle and ry[c]h For a marchante with to bye and selle.
2.
(a) Negotiation, dealings, or agreement between parties in other matters; a binding agreement; fals ~, a fraudulent transaction; bad ~, a bad bargain or deal; breuen (maken) ~, make an agreement or contract; driven ~, strike a bargain, make a deal; (b) one's pledge in a bargain.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)5.2876 : Falswitnesse..Perjurie..For coveitise..maken many a fals bargain.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Fkl.(Manly-Rickert)F.1230 : This bargayn is ful dryue, for we ben knyt. Ye shal be payed trewely.
- a1400 Cursor (Trin-C R.3.8)16490 : Judas, þe bargan made hit is.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.270 : Þe Cardinals..Oft for þe pes with Philip mad bergayn.
- (1422) Plea & Mem.in Bk.Lond.E.128/227 : Atte Quenhith is a pryue place which is a good shadowyng for theves, & many euel bargayns beth made there.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)4325 : Love..wolde..me a newe bargeyn leere, The which all-oute the more is deere.
- (1441) Pet.Chanc.in Seld.Soc.10131 : The seid bailly..died byfore any estat made to hym of the seid mees and londe accordyng to the bargayne forseid.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)14482 : He wolde to Bretaigne, Wiþ Bretons to make a newe bargayne.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)103/23 : Itt was to me a bad barganne.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)473/10 : Þai made a full bargan.
- c1475 Awntyrs Arth.(Tay 9)p.22 : Byernes bannes the tyme, the bargan was bruen.
- c1460(?c1400) Beryn (Nthld 55)1906 : Let som Bargen be I-made be-twen vs both[e] to.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)804/14 : So this bargayne was nat so sone done and made betwene them, but dame Brusen knew hit.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)253/634 : Now þis bargany is mad ful and fast, Noyther part may it for-sake.
- c1475(c1450) Idley Instr.(Cmb Ee.4.37)2.A.1675 : Wedloke In the face of the churche..oweth to be hadde, And not in derke corners..Suche blynde bargens beith oft full badde.
b
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)222/582 : Iudas..Performe thi bargan soyn; thou has thi money takyn.
3.
An undertaking, an enterprise; also, one's doings; bien ~ (dere), pay (dearly) for what one does; bannen ~, curse (someone's) doings; maken bad ~, bring on misfortune.
Associated quotations
- a1425(c1333-52) Minot Poems (Glb E.9)23/64 : All þaire bargan dere þai boght. Inglis men..hastily quit þam þaire hire.
- a1425(?a1350) Nicod.(1) (Glb E.9)34/188 : Þe fende..dose his might & mayn to ger þat bargan blin.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)4929 : Youthe gynneth ofte sich bargeyn That may not eende withouten peyn.
- a1425 LChart.Chr.C (Roy 17.C.17)640/104 : Ful hard thert he me; þat bargan dere boght suld be.
- c1440 Degrev.(Thrn)454 : He sall þe bargan haby Þat did me þis velany.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)26/119 : Þis werke, Eue, hast þou wrought and made þis bad bargayne.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)49/126-30 : Noye..þis bargan sall be bought..þou shuld haue tolde me for oure seele, Whan we were to slyke bargane broght.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)2502 : Putte of this purpos..Soche bargens are bytter, þat hafe a bare end.
- a1500(a1400) Ipom.(1) (Chet 8009)1300 : Ys none so grette in all this londe That ye dyd greue..That bargynne myght he banne!
- a1500(1413) *Pilgr.Soul (Eg 615)4.16.62a : One of vs thre must a beye this bargeyn, or elles all mankynde must perisch for euer.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)25/94 : All shall perish..that bargan may thay ban, That ill has done.
4.
A state of affairs resulting from someone else's actions.
Associated quotations
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)2551 : This is the stryf and eke the affray..This bargeyn eende may never take, But if that she thi pees will make.
- c1450(a1425) MOTest.(SeldSup 52)1208 : Hoppes þou..þat þou sall ouer vs be kyng?..þan hatreyd in þer hertes thei hyng And toght þat bargan suld not be.
- a1500(a1400) Ipom.(1) (Chet 8009)3883 : Tope ouer tayle he garte hym goo; That bargyn myght he banne.
5.
Contention, wrangling.
Associated quotations
- c1390 PPl.A(1) (Vrn)5.189 : Þer was lauȝwhing and lotering..Bargeyns and Beuerages bi-gonne to aryse.