[App. a derivative formation from barat, BARRAT v.; cf. sense of F. barater ‘to cheat, cousen … to trucke, scourse, barter, exchange’ (Cotgr.), in Godefroy = ‘troquer, échanger’ under date 1373, It. barattare ‘to barter, trucke, chop and change one thing for another’ (Florio, 1598), Sp. baratar ‘to sell cheape, or deceive.’ With the final -ER. cf. batter, falter, stutter; but an intermediate form *barat-er connecting barat and barter has not been found.]
1. trans. To give (a commodity) in exchange for something taken as of equivalent value; distinguished from purchase and sell, which imply that money is given for the commodity. To barter away: to dispose of by barter; cf. also 2. Const. for (with obs.) a thing, with a person.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 25. Bartryn or changyn, or chafare oone thynge for a othere, cambio.
1530. Palsgr., 444/1. It is a comen feate of marchauntes to barter [trocquer] ware for ware.
1590. Shaks., 1 Hen. VI., I. iv. 31. But with a baser man of Arms by farre, Once, in contempt, they would haue barter’d me.
1669. Gale, Crt. Gentiles, I. I. iv. 23. They, by frequent Commerce … barter and exchange commodities, each with other.
1690. Locke, Govt., II. v. 265–6 (J.). And if he also bartered away Plumbs, that would have rotted in a Week, for Nuts that would last good for his eating a whole Year, he did no injury.
1796. Coleridge, Answ. Melanch. Let., Wks. I. 87. Barter for food the jewels of his crown.
1833. Ht. Martineau, Charmed Sea, iv. 44. Those who have little merchandise to barter away.
2. fig. a. To exchange.
1602. Warner, Alb. Eng., IX. xlix. (1612), 226. Such hearts to barter blowes.
1664. H. More, Myst. Iniq., v. 12. They have … bartered away one great evil for several others.
1848. Kingsley, Saint’s Trag., III. i. 18. I but barter Less grief for greater.
b. To part with for a consideration, usually a mercenary or unworthy one; to bargain away.
1667. Decay Chr. Piety, ix. 268 (J.). If they will barter away their time, methinks they should at least have some ease in exchange.
1764. Goldsm., Trav., 305. E’en liberty itself is barter’d here.
1862. (18 Dec.) Bright, Amer., Sp. (1876), 110. Writers of eminence and honour who will not barter human rights for the patronage of the great.
1863. W. Phillips, Speeches, iii. 49. The greatest hour of the age was bartered away.
3. intr. To trade by exchange of commodities.
1485. in Arnold, Chron. (1811), 229. To selle, barter, and occupye in our sayd landis and lordships.
1635. Quarles, Emblems, II. v. (1718), 83. With thy bastard bullion thou hast barter’d for wares of price.
1865. Livingstone, Zambesi, xix. 391. We did not see much evidence of a wish to barter.
