▸ trade off
1 PHRASAL VERB If you trade off one thing against another, you exchange all or part of one thing for another, as part of a negotiation or compromise. □ [V P n + against ] Economic policy is about trading off costs against benefits. □ [V P n + for ] I get up early and trade off sleep for exercise.
2 → see also trade-off
▸ trade up PHRASAL VERB If someone trades up , they sell something such as their car or their house and buy a more expensive one. □ [V P + to ] Mini-car owners are trading up to 'real' cars. □ [V P ] Homeowners will feel more comfortable and they may feel ready to trade up.
tra de as|so |cia |tion (trade associations ) N‑COUNT A trade association is a body representing organizations within the same trade. It aims to protect their collective interests, especially in negotiations with governments and trade unions. □ …one of the two main trade associations for antiques dealers.
Tra de De|scri p|tions A ct also Trades Descriptions Act N‑SING In Britain, the Trade Descriptions Act or the Trades Descriptions Act is a law designed to prevent companies from presenting their goods or services in a dishonest or misleading way. □ Last year it was convicted and fined under the Trades Descriptions Act for placing For Sale boards on empty homes in the area.
tra de fair (trade fairs ) N‑COUNT A trade fair is an exhibition where manufacturers show their products to other people in industry and try to get business.
tra de gap (trade gaps ) N‑COUNT [usu sing] If a country imports goods worth more than the value of the goods that it exports, this is referred to as a trade gap . [BUSINESS ]
tra de-in (trade-ins ) N‑COUNT [oft N n] A trade-in is an arrangement in which someone buys something such as a new car or washing machine at a reduced price by giving their old one, as well as money, in payment. □ …the trade-in value of the car.
trade|mark /tre I dmɑː r k/ (trademarks ) also trade mark
1 N‑COUNT A trademark is a name or symbol that a company uses on its products and that cannot legally be used by another company.
2 N‑COUNT [with poss] If you say that something is the trademark of a particular person or place, you mean that it is characteristic of them or typically associated with them. □ …the spiky punk hairdo that became his trademark.
tra de name (trade names ) N‑COUNT A trade name is the name which manufacturers give to a product or to a range of products. □ It's marketed under the trade name 'Tattle'.
tra de-off (trade-offs ) also tradeoff N‑COUNT A trade-off is a situation where you make a compromise between two things, or where you exchange all or part of one thing for another. [JOURNALISM ] □ [+ between ] …the trade-off between inflation and unemployment.
trad|er ◆◇◇ /tre I də r / (traders ) N‑COUNT [oft n N ] A trader is a person whose job is to trade in goods or stocks. □ Market traders display an exotic selection of the island's produce.
tra de route (trade routes ) N‑COUNT A trade route is a route, often covering long distances, that is used by traders.
tra de se |cret (trade secrets )
1 N‑COUNT A trade secret is information that is known, used, and kept secret by a particular firm, for example about a method of production or a chemical process. □ The nature of the polymer is currently a trade secret.
2 N‑COUNT A trade secret is a piece of knowledge that you have, especially about how to do something, that you are not willing to tell other people. □ I'd rather not talk about it too much because I don't like giving trade secrets away.
trades|man /tre I dzmən/ (tradesmen ) N‑COUNT A tradesman is a person, usually a man, who sells goods or services, especially one who owns and runs a shop.
tra des u n|ion (trades unions ) → see trade union
Tra des Un|ion Co n|gress N‑PROPER The Trades Union Congress in Britain is the same as the TUC .
tra de sur|plus (trade surpluses ) N‑COUNT If a country has a trade surplus , it exports more than it imports. [BUSINESS ] □ The country's trade surplus widened to 16.5 billion dollars.
tra de u n|ion (trade unions ) also trades union N‑COUNT [oft N n] A trade union is an organization that has been formed by workers in order to represent their rights and interests to their employers, for example in order to improve working conditions or wages. [mainly BRIT ] in AM, usually use labor union
tra de u n|ion|ism N‑UNCOUNT Trade unionism is the system, practices, and beliefs of trade unions.
tra de u n|ion|ist (trade unionists ) also trades unionist N‑COUNT A trade unionist is an active member of a trade union. [BRIT ]
tra d|ing es|tate (trading estates ) N‑COUNT [oft in names] A trading estate is the same as an industrial estate . [BRIT ]
tra|di|tion ◆◇◇ /trəd I ʃ ə n/ (traditions )
1 N‑VAR A tradition is a custom or belief that has existed for a long time. □ [+ of ] …the rich traditions of Afro-Cuban music, and dance. □ [+ of ] Mary has carried on the family tradition of giving away plants.
2 PHRASE If you say that something or someone is in the tradition of a person or thing from the past, you mean that they have many features that remind you of that person or thing. □ [+ of ] They're marvellous pictures in the tradition of Gainsborough.
tra|di|tion|al ◆◆◇ /trəd I ʃən ə l/
1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Traditional customs, beliefs, or methods are ones that have existed for a long time without changing. □ …traditional teaching methods. □ …traditional Indian music. ● tra|di|tion|al|ly ADV □ Although meat is traditionally regarded as a good protein food, it does have drawbacks.