Inflected trafficked, trafficking. Forms: see the sb. [ad. OF. trafiquer (1441 in Godef., Compl.), F. traffiquer (1529 in Hatz.-Darm.) = Cat. trafegar, Sp. traficar (in 16th c. trafagar), Pg. traficar, trafeguear, It. trafficare (known in 1325), traficare (Florio). As to etymology, see TRAFFIC sb. and Note there.]
I. Intransitive senses.
1. To carry on trade, to trade, to buy and sell; to have commercial dealings with any one; to bargain or deal for a commodity. Sometimes, To resort to a place for the purpose of trade: = TRADE v. 6 a.
1542. in 10th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm., App. V. 410. They that so would bargayn or trafique pertly or oppenly with any such merchauntes.
1555. Eden, Decades, 317. They do not gladly permitte the Portugales to trafike in theyr kyngedome.
1585. T. Washington, trans. Nicholay’s Voy., IV. xi. 123 b. Vnto the ports … come to traffick, the merchants of Cambaia.
1613. H. Spelman, Relat. Virginia, in Capt. Smith’s Wks. (Arb.), p. civ. Powhatan … carried our English to their storehouse where their corne was, to traffique with them.
1634. Sir T. Herbert, Trav., 53. Many Carrauans … traffiquing to the Portugall[s].
1716. Royal Proclam., 18 Oct., in Lond. Gaz., No. 5480/1. Their Factors … should … Traffick, or Adventure into or from the … East-Indies.
1769. Cook, Voy. round World, I. ix. (1773), 93. They trafficked with us for cocoa-nuts and other fruit.
1800. Wordsw., Brothers, 293. He was … A thriving man, and trafficked on the seas.
b. In a disparaging sense, or said of dealing considered improper: = TRADE v. 6 c: cf. prec. 2 d.
c. 1657. in Verney Mem. (1907), II. 120. [He had made more money] than any man who trafficked in that desperate commodity—rebellion.
1696. Phillips (ed. 5), Trafic,… us’d figuratively in an ill Sense, for trading in Simoniacal Contracts, and making an unlawful Gain of Spiritual things. Such a one has long Traffick’d in buying and selling his Countrey.
1853. J. H. Newman, Hist. Sk. (1873), II. I. ii. 82. He observed that it was somewhat more honourable to destroy idols than to traffic in them.
1854. J. S. C. Abbott, Napoleon (1855), I. iv. 80. Beautiful and dissolute females … trafficking in their charms.
1938. News-Pilot (San Pedro, CA), 1 Aug., 2/2. ‘These candidates are trafficking in untruths for votes,’ [Herbert C.] Legg declared.
† 2. fig. To have dealings or intercourse (with a person); to carry on negotiations; to be concerned, to busy or exercise oneself (in some matter). Obs.
1583. Golding, Calvin on Deut., cxxi. 243. But there are meanes to trafique man with man.
1612. T. Taylor, Comm. Titus ii. 13 (1619), 483. Who while they liue in earth, yet traffique and haue their conuersation in heauen.
1656. Stanley, Hist. Philos., V. (1701), 173/2. Hermodorus, of whom the Proverb, Hermodorus traffiques in Words.
c. 1721. Mrq. Tullibardine, Lett., 24 Jan., in 10th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm., App. I. 126. On no pretence I trafick in any tainting politique.
1882. Jamieson, Trafeque, to hold familiar intercourse. Banffs.
b. To have dealings of an illicit or secret character; to deal, intrigue, conspire (with some one, in, for, or to do something); to practise. (Cf. 1 b.)
1567. Reg. Privy Council Scot., I. 569. Trafficquand with the Papis Nunce.
a. 1649. Drumm. of Hawth., Hist. Scot. (1655), 104. He also trafficked by the friends of … the Dowglasses and Humes to perswade them to a Return.
1681, 1735. [see trafficking below].
1852. Miss Yonge, Cameos, II. ii. 17. Jeanne discovered that he was trafficking with her enemies and tampering with her friends.
3. dial. (See 4 b.)
II. Transitive senses.
† 4. To traverse or frequent for the purpose of trading; to carry on trade in (a place). Obs.
1547. Acts Privy Counc. (1890), II. 130. The Kynges Majestes subjectes trafeking the seas.
1561. Q. Eliz., in Hakluyt, Voy. (1589), 362. Trade of marchandize with your Subiectes, and with other strangers traffiking your Realmes.
1611. W. Sclater, Key (1629), 36. Rome,… the seate of the Empire, traffiqued by all Nations.
b. To pass to and fro upon, to frequent (a road, etc.); to traverse. Also intr. To pass to and fro, walk or run about. dial.
a. 1825. Forby, Voc. E. Anglia, Traffic, to frequent. Ex. ‘The new road will soon be trafficked.’
1850. F. S. Merryweather, Glimmerings in Dark, 52. Some would venture to traffic them in the day, but few would risk such perilous thoroughfares at night.
1877. N. W. Linc. Gloss., Traffic, v. (1) To walk about without settled purpose. (2) To trespass upon other people’s land. A correspondent writes, ‘Our nurse used to scold us when children for trafficking up and down stairs.’
5. To carry on a trade in, to buy and sell; to dispose of (or † acquire) in the way of trade; to deal in; often with sinister implication; in quot. 1879, to barter away. Also fig. Now rare.
1597. Daniel, Civ. Wars, VI. xviii. Whil’st wee … Ryot away … whole Prouinces;… Traffique important Holdes, sell Fortresses.
1598. Dallington, Meth. Trav., N iv b. Non patiar mercatores potestatum, I will suffer none to traffique Offices.
a. 1628. F. Grevil, Religion, Wks. 1870, I. 272. The world doth build without, our God within; He traffics goodness, and she traffics sin.
1808. Sporting Mag., XXXII. 7. An assertion … that his Lordship had trafficked a seat for the Borough of Malton.
1879. 19th Cent., No. 32. 673. The honour of the proud house of Este was being basely trafficked away.
1893. S. Lane-Poole, Aurangzíb, xii. 201. The young Prince was suspected of trafficking the Imperial honour with the Maráthás, and placed under temporary arrest.
† 6. To negotiate (a matter). Obs. rare.
a. 1649. Drumm. of Hawth., Hist. Scot. (1655), 28. He trafficked the return of King James. Ibid., 207. Whilst they traffique this Marriage, many false accusations (as Plots laid against his person) are intended one after another at the Court.
Hence Trafficking vbl. sb. and ppl. a.
1570. in Tolstoy, 1st 40 Yrs. Interc. Eng. & Russ. (1875), 103. Kept from traffiquing.
1580. Nat. Covt. Ref. Princ. Re-exhibited (1787), 56. Trafficking Papists to be punished.
a. 1649. Drumm. of Hawth., Hist. Scot. (1655), 11. The trafficking of a Marriage between Lewis the Daulphine … with Margaret Daughter to King James.
1681. in Acts Parlt. Scotl. (1875), XII. 44/1. They … shall never tolerate priests Jesuits nor traffecking Papists to abide in this Kingdome.
1735. in Tablet, 19 March (1910), 446/2. Trafficking Papists, I mean such as are continually employed in making Proselytes.
1835. Marryat, Pirate, i. Grief is worth nothing in this trafficking world unless it is paid for.
1863. Froude, Hist. Eng., VIII. viii. 132. Thus the antagonism went on, irritating Elizabeth … into dangerous traffickings with the Bishop, of Aquila and his successor.
1903. W. N[eville], Penal Servitude xiii. 170. Any officer found guilty of passing a letter out of prison would be liable to instant dismissal, as this comes under what is called ‘trafficking’—an unpardonable offence.
