Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Traffic
Traf′fic
,Verb.
I.
[
imp. & p. p.
Trafficked
; p. pr. & vb. n.
Trafficking
.] [F.
trafiquer
; cf. It. trafficare
, Sp. traficar
, trafagar
, Pg. traficar
, trafegar
, trafeguear
, LL. traficare
; of uncertain origin, perhaps fr. L. trans
across, over + -ficare
to make (see -fy
, and cf. G. übermachen
to transmit, send over, e. g., money, wares); or cf. Pg. trasfegar
to pour out from one vessel into another, OPg. also, to traffic, perhaps fr. (assumed) LL. vicare
to exchange, from L. vicis
change (cf. Vicar
).] 1.
To pass goods and commodities from one person to another for an equivalent in goods or money; to buy or sell goods; to barter; to trade.
2.
To trade meanly or mercenarily; to bargain.
Traf′fic
,Verb.
T.
To exchange in traffic; to effect by a bargain or for a consideration.
Traf′fic
,Noun.
[Cf. F. ]
trafic
, It. traffico
, Sp. tráfico
, tráfago
, Pg. tráfego
, LL. traficum
, trafica
. See Traffic
, Verb.
1.
Commerce, either by barter or by buying and selling; interchange of goods and commodities; trade.
A merchant of great
traffic
through the world. Shakespeare
The
traffic
in honors, places, and pardons. Macaulay.
☞ This word, like trade, comprehends every species of dealing in the exchange or passing of goods or merchandise from hand to hand for an equivalent, unless the business of relating may be excepted. It signifies appropriately foreign trade, but is not limited to that.
2.
Commodities of the market.
[R.]
You ’ll see a draggled damsel
From Billingsgate her fishy
From Billingsgate her fishy
traffic
bear. Gay.
3.
The business done upon a railway, steamboat line, etc., with reference to the number of passengers or the amount of freight carried.
Traffic return
, a periodical statement of the receipts for goods and passengers, as on a railway line.
– Traffic taker
, a computer of the returns of traffic on a railway, steamboat line, etc.