praɪs n. & v. --n. 1 a
the amount of
money or goods
for which a
thing is
bought or
sold. b
value or
worth (a pearl of
great price;
beyond price). 2
what is or must be
given,
done, sacrificed,
etc., to
obtain or
achieve something. 3 the
odds in
betting (starting price). --v.tr. 1
fix or
find the price of (a thing for sale). 2
estimate the value
of. øabove (or beyond or without) price so
valuable that no price can be stated. at
any price no
matter what the
cost,
sacrifice, etc. (peace at any price). at a price at a
high cost. price-fixing the maintaining of prices at a
certain level by
agreement between competing sellers. price-list a list of
current prices of items on
sale. price on a person's
head a
reward for a person's
capture or
death. price
oneself out of the
market lose to one's competitors by charging
more than customers are
willing to pay. price-ring a
group of traders
acting illegally to
control certain prices. price tag 1 the
label on an
item showing its price. 2 the cost of an
enterprise or
undertaking. price
war fierce competition among traders
cutting prices. set a price on
declare the price of. what price ...? (often foll. by
verbal noun) colloq. 1 what is the
chance of ...? (what price
your finishing the course?). 2
iron. the expected or
much boasted ... proves disappointing (what price your
friendship now?). øøpriced adj. (also in comb.). pricer n. [(n.) ME f. OF pris f. L pretium: (v.) var. of
prise = PRIZE(1)]
