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Webster 1913 Edition


Cheapen

Cheap′en

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Cheapened
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Cheapening
.]
[OE.
cheapien
,
chepen
, to trade, buy, sell, AS.
ceápian
; akin to D.
koopen
to buy, G.
kaufen
, Icel.
kaupa
, Goth.
kaupōn
to trade. Cf.
Chap
to bargain.]
1.
To ask the price of; to bid, bargain, or chaffer for.
[Obsoles.]
Pretend to
cheapen
goods, but nothing buy.
Swift.
2.
[Cf.
Cheap
,
Adj.
]
To beat down the price of; to lessen the value of; to depreciate.
Pope.
My proffered love has
cheapened
me.
Dryden.

Webster 1828 Edition


Cheapen

CHEAPEN

, v.t.
1.
To attempt to buy; to ask the price of a commodity; to chaffer.
To shops in crowds the daggled females fly,
Pretend to cheapen goods, but nothing buy.
2.
To lessen value.

Definition 2024


cheapen

cheapen

English

Verb

cheapen (third-person singular simple present cheapens, present participle cheapening, simple past and past participle cheapened)

  1. (transitive) to decrease the value of; to make cheap
  2. (transitive) to make vulgar
  3. (intransitive) to become cheaper
  4. (obsolete) to bargain for, ask the price of.

Derived terms

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