deal

An agreement between people or organizations about what each will do or give.

• We made a deal.
• The company signed a deal with a new supplier.
• Can we agree on the terms of this deal?

How to use it: a deal with someone (They made a deal with the bank.); a deal to do something (The countries signed a deal to share water.)

Similar words: agreement, arrangement

Common phrases: make a deal, a business deal, deal with someone

An act of buying, selling, or exchanging something.

• The deal was completed yesterday.
• He made three property deals last month.
• This deal involved exchanging land for shares.

How to use it: a deal with someone (The broker completed a deal with a foreign buyer.); a deal involving something (Police examined a deal involving stolen paintings.)

Similar words: transaction, trade

Common phrases: complete a deal, a property deal, close a deal

The situation, or the important facts about what is happening.

• Here is the deal: we leave at six.
• What is the deal with the locked door?
• She explained the whole deal to me.

How to use it: the deal with someone/something (What is the deal with this new rule?)

Similar words: situation, story

Common phrases: the whole deal, the real deal, what is the deal

The act of giving cards to players, or a turn at doing this.

• It is your deal.
• We checked our cards after the deal.
• The players took turns at the deal.

Similar words: distribution

Common phrases: your deal, the next deal, after the deal

To take action about a problem, task, or difficult situation.

• I will deal with the problem.
• She dealt with three complaints this morning.
• How do you deal with stress?

How to use it: deal with someone/something (The manager dealt with the complaint immediately.)

Similar words: handle, manage, cope with

Common phrases: deal with something, deal with someone

To give cards to each player at the start of a game.

• Who will deal the cards?
• She dealt me three kings.
• Shuffle the deck before you deal.

How to use it: deal someone something (She dealt each player five cards.); deal something to someone (He dealt two cards to each player.)

Similar words: give out, distribute

Common phrases: deal the cards, deal someone cards, deal a hand

To sell goods, especially illegal drugs.

• He was caught dealing drugs.
• Police think she deals cocaine near the station.
• They arrested two men who had been dealing in the neighborhood.

Similar words: sell

Common phrases: deal drugs, deal cocaine, deal on streets

To buy and sell a particular kind of goods as a business.

• They deal in used cars.
• Her grandfather dealt in antiques.
• Does this company deal in fresh food?

How to use it: deal in something (The family business deals in fine wines.)

Similar words: trade, trade in

Common phrases: deal in antiques, deal in cars, deal in goods