Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English - exchange

~1 n 1 »GIVING/RECEIVING« the act of exchanging one thing for another or doing something to someone at the same time as they do it to you  (an exchange of political prisoners | an honest exchange of information | fair exchange (=an exchange in which the things given and received are of equal value))  (Four of my cassettes for yourMadonna CD is a fair exchange.)  (- see also part­exchange) 2 in exchange if you do or give something in exchange for something else, you do it or give it in order to get that thing  (They have offered to release the hostages, but what do they want in exchange?) + for  (I've offered to paint the kitchen in exchange for a week's accommodation.) 3 »ARGUMENT« a short conversation, usually between two people who are angry with each other  (a quiet exchange between the judge and the clerk | heated exchange (=a very angry conversation))  (The DJ was fired after a heated exchange on air with a call-in listener.) 4 »MONEY« 5 a) a process in which you change money from one currency to another  (Most capital cities have extensive exchange facilities.) b) the exchange rate 6 »BETWEEN FAMILIES/SCHOOLS« an arrangement in which someone changes their job, home etc with someone else usually for a short period of time, or in which students from different countries visit each other  (I'm only here for one term, I'm on an exchange with Dr Fisher.) 7 »WAR« an event during a war when armies use weapons against each other  (an exchange of fire) 8 corn/wool/cotton etc exchange a large building in a town, that was used in the past for buying and selling corn, wool etc  (- see also labour exchange, stock exchange) 9 »SCIENCE« technical the movement of one substance into the place where another substance was ~2 v 1 to give someone something and receive the same kind of thing from them at the same time  (We still exchange gifts at Christmas. | At the end of the game players traditionally exchange shirts with each other. | exchange addresses/telephone numbers (=give someone your address or telephone number and take theirs))  (Did you exchange phone numbers with the guy that hit you?) 2 to give someone something so that they will give you something that is better, more suitable, or more useful for you  (The store will not exchange goods without a receipt. | exchange sth for)  (Where can I exchange my dollars for pounds?) 3 if two people exchange something, they do something to each other  (exchange looks/glances (=look at each other))  (Sally and I exchange amused glances when we heard this. | exchange greetings/insults (=greet or insult each other) | exchange words (=talk to someone))  (Until this evening I had never so much as exchanged a word with him. | exchange blows (=fight))  (Students exchanged blows with locals, and police were called in.) 4 exchange information/ideas if two people or a group of people exchange information, ideas etc they discuss something  (We envision an artistic community where people are free to exchange ideas.) 5 exchange houses to go and live in someone else's house while they come and live in yours, usually for a holiday  (We exchanged houses with an American family for three weeks.) 6 exchange contracts especially BrE to complete the final stage of buying a house by signing a contract with the person you are buying it from - exchangeable adj