Forms: 4 bargeyne, 4–5 -gane, 4–6 -gayne, 5 -gan, -geyn, 7 -gaine, 6– bargain. [a. OF. bargaigne-r = Pr. barganhar, It. bargagnare:—late L. *barcāncāre, barcāniāre (in Capit. Charles the Bald), which Diez proposes to refer (through *barcāne-us: see BARGAIN sb.1) to barca ‘a bark or barge, which,’ according to the definition of Isidore, ‘carries goods to and fro’; thence might arise the sense either of ‘go backwards and forwards, come and go as to a matter, be off and on’ (cf. mod.F. barguigner to hesitate, have difficulty in making up one’s mind), or of ‘trade, traffic, deal.’ But difficulties attend both form- and sense-development; and the order of senses here followed is purely empirical.]
1. intr. To treat with any one as to the terms which one party is to give, and the other to accept, in a transaction between them; to try to secure the best possible terms; to haggle over terms.
c. 1375. Wyclif, Serm., Sel. Wks. 1871, II. 213. It is an open foly to bargayne wiþ preestis for siche preier. Ibid. (c. 1380), Wks. (1880), 472. Cardenals ben brouȝt yn bi antichrist to bargeyne bi symonye.
1525. Ld. Berners, Froiss., II. cxviii. [cxiv.] 339. We cannot both bargayne and bye all in one daye.
1611. Cotgr., Barguigner, to chaffer; to bargaine; or (more properly) to wrangle, dodge, haggle … in the making of a bargaine.
1634. Preston, New Covt., 89. They will bargaine with the Lord, he will give thee this particular, thou shalt have this.
1701. Penn, in Pa. Hist. Soc. Mem., IX. 56. No man living can defend us or bargain for us better than myself.
1859. Jephson, Brittany, ix. 136. Judas bargaining with the priests.
2. To agree to terms asked and offered; to arrange terms, come to terms; to stipulate; to make or strike a bargain, with a person, for a thing.
1483. Cath. Angl., 21/1. To bargan, pacisci.
1536. MS., in Thynne, Animadv., Introd. 28. John Wylkynson … hath convenanted and bargayned with Edmunde Pekham.
1578. T. N., trans. Conq. W. India, 20. He … bargained with one Fernando Alfonso, for certaine Hogges.
1593. Shaks., 2 Hen. VI., I. i. 231. While his owne Lands are bargain’d for, and sold.
1712. Addison, Spect., No. 511, ¶ 3. A merchant … bargained for it, and carried it off.
1751. Lady Montague, Lett., 56, III. 101. The marble was bespoke and the sculptor [was] bargained with.
1876. J. H. Newman, Hist. Sk., I. I. ii. 100. The Bishop … acted for the Christians, and bargained for nothing more than their lives.
b. with inf. or subord. cl.
1596. Shaks., Tam. Shr., II. i. 307. ’Tis bargain’d … That she shall still be curst in company.
1787. P. Jones, in Sparks, Corr. Amer. Rev. (1853), IV. 192. I … have bargained to be landed in France.
1878. Simpson, School Shaks., I. 46. Bagnall … bargained to sell his estates.
3. fig. To bargain for: to arrange for beforehand, to include in one’s reckoning, arrangements, expectations or forecast; to count on, expect.
1840. Marryat, Olla Podr. (Rtldg.), 330. More wind than we bargained for.
1856. Lever, Martins of Cro’ M., 277. I never bargained to dispute against such odds as this.
1883. Froude, Short Stud., IV. I. vii. 79. In accepting Henry’s money they had not bargained for exposure.
† 4. trans. To agree to buy or sell; to contract for. Obs. exc. in legal phr. To bargain and sell.
1488–9. Act 4 Hen. VII., xl. No … person … [shall] bye or bargeyn … any wollez then unshorne.
a. 1716. South, in Spurgeon, Treas. Dav., Ps. ix. 16. The wages that sin bargains with the sinner are life, pleasure, and profit.
1768. [see BARGAINOR].
1876. [see BARGAINEE].
b. To bargain away: to part with, or lose, as the result of a bargain.
1868. Geo. Eliot, F. Holt, 7. The heir … had somehow bargained away the estate.
† 5. (Sc.) To contend, strive, struggle, fight. Obs.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, IX. 224. To bargane with his Enymyss.
c. 1470. Henry, Wallace, X. 516. We sall bargane be nyne houris to morn.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, III. iv. 52. Tak thair wapnis, and bargane every man Agane thai cruell peple.
