horse trading

noun

1. the act or fact of conducting a shrewd exchange or engaging in a horse trade; bargaining.

horse trading

noun

1. hard bargaining to obtain equal concessions by both sides in a dispute

Word History and Origins

Origin of horse trading¹

An Americanism dating back to 1820–30

Idioms and Phrases

Negotiation marked by hard bargaining and shrewd exchange. For example, The restaurant owner is famous for his horse trading; he's just exchanged a month of free dinners for a month of free television commercials . This expression alludes to the notorious shrewdness of horse traders , who literally bought and sold horses. [c. 1820]

Example Sentences

He’s doing nothing to alter the predation of the system, only horse trading exemptions from it.

From Seattle Times

"The country does not need more political horse trading, but action."

From BBC

The SNP leadership campaign's been a short, sharp affair - and it’s already shown John Swinney's skill in horse trading.

From BBC

After the election, lawmakers form camps around hotels in the capital Honiara where horse trading takes place to persuade a majority to back various candidates for prime minister.

From Seattle Times

Archaeological analysis of a near unique animal cemetery discovered in London nearly 30 years ago has revealed the international scale of horse trading by the elites of late medieval and Tudor England.

From Science Daily