Obs. Forms: 1 céapian, 2–3 cheap-en, (3 chepin, chapi), 3–4 chepen, 4–6 chepe, (5 chepyn), 5–6 cheape, 6–7 cheap. [A common Teut. vb.: OE. céapian, -ode to bargain, trade, chaffer, buy = OS. côpôn (LG. kôpen), OHG. choufôn, MHG. koufen to bargain, trade, buy and sell, buy, mod.G. kaufen to buy, ON. kaupa to bargain, barter, buy (Sw. köpa, Da. kjöbe to buy), Goth. kaupôn to traffic, trade, buy and sell:—OTeut. *kaupôjan, f. *kaupo-, OE. céap, CHEAP sb. Beside this was another vb. *kaupjan (not in Goth.), OLG. côpian (LG. köpen, MDu. côpen, Du. koopen to buy), OHG. chouffen (MHG. käufen), OE. cíepan, cípan, cýpan, -te, to sell; this does not appear to have come down into ME. For the derivation, see CHEAP sb. This verb has now been superseded by CHEAPEN.]
1. orig. (intr.) To barter, buy and sell; to trade, deal, bargain.
c. 1000. Ags. Gosp., Matt. xxi. 12. Ða se Hælend into þam temple eode, he adraf ut ealle þa þe ceapodun [1160 Hatton G. cheapeden innan þam temple]. Ibid., Luke xix. 13. Ceapiaþ oð þæt ic cume.
c. 1160. Hatton G., ibid. Cheapiað oððæt ic cume.
2. trans. To buy. (Ger. kaufen.)
c. 950. Lindisf. Gosp., John iv. 8. Þætte metto ceapadon [Rushw. bohton, Ags. G. mete bicʓan].
a. 1000. Cædmon’s Crist, 1096 (Gr.). He lifes ceapode moncynne.
c. 1325. Pol. Songs, 159. Such chaffare y chepe at the chapitre.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Wyf’s Prol., 268. Sche wol on him lepe, Til that sche fynde som man hire to chepe.
3. trans. To bargain for, bid for, offer to buy, offer a price for, ask the price of, ‘price.’
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 290. Hwon he uor so liht wurð … cheapeð þine soule.
1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. XIII. 380. Who so cheped my chaffare chiden I wolde, But he profred to paye a peny or twayne More þan it was worth.
1476. Plumpton Corr., 37. As for your cope, I have cheaped diverse, and under a hundred shillings I can by non.
1530. Palsgr., 482. I cheape, I demaunde the price of a thyng that I wolde bye, Je marchande.
1592. Greene, Art Conny-catch., 25. A Flax-wife that wanted coles … cheped, bargaind and bought them.
1614. B. Jonson, Barth. Fair, III. iv. Why … stand heere … cheaping of Dogges, Birds, and Babies?
b. absol. or intr.
c. 1340. Gaw. & Gr. Knt., 1271. & al þe wele of þe worlde were in my honde, & I schulde chepen & chose.
1598. Munday & Chettle, Downfall Earl Huntingdon, in Hazl., Dodsley, VIII. 161. Come, cheap for love, or buy for money.
1600. Heywood, 1 Edw. IV., IV. iii. Wks. 1874, I. 65. You come to cheape, and not to buy.
4. trans. To treat or bargain in order to sell, to offer for sale; also (with inf.) to offer to sell.
a. 1225. Juliana, 63. Þu … lettest an of þe tweolue þat tu hefdest icoren chapi [v.r. chepin] þe & sullen.
a. 1230. Ancr. R., 206. Þes deofles best, þet he let to chepinge … & cheapeð hit forto sullen. Ibid., 418. Ancre þet is cheapild, heo cheapeð hire soule þe chepmon of helle.
c. 1275. Passion Our Lord, 115, in O. E. Misc., 40. He com to þe Gywes … And chepte heom to sullen vre helare.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 14723. Mani chapmen … Serekin marchandis chepand.
a. 1400. Octouian, 1909. Four outlawes … chepede me that chyld to sale, For syxty florencys.
1580. [see CHEAPING 1].
5. To fix the price of, set a price on, value.
1460. Capgrave, Chron., 180. A grete ordinauns to chepe vitaile.
1483. Cath. Angl., 62. To chepe, taxare.
1570. Levins, Manip., 208. To cheape, licitari, appreciare.
Cheap, var. of CHEEP v., to squeak.
