Etimology
From Middle English del, dele, from Old English dǣl (“part, share, portion”), from Proto-West Germanic *daili, from Proto-Germanic *dailiz (“part, deal”), from Proto-Indo-European *dʰail- (“part, watershed”). Cognate with Scots dele (“part, portion”), West Frisian diel (“part, share”), Dutch deel (“part, share, portion”), German Teil (“part, portion, section”), Danish del (“part”), Swedish del ("part, portion, piece") Icelandic deila (“division, contention”), Gothic 𐌳𐌰𐌹𐌻𐍃 (dails, “portion”), Slovene del (“part”). Related to Old English dāl (“portion”). More at dole.
noun
deal (plural deals)
(obsolete) A division, a portion, a share, a part, a piece.
(often followed by of) An indefinite quantity or amount; a lot (now usually qualified by great or good).
Examples
Synonyms: allotment, apportionment, distribution
We gave three deals of grain in tribute to the king.
Synonyms: batch, flock, good deal, great deal, hatful, heap, load, lot, mass, mess, mickle, mint, muckle, peck, pile, plenty, pot, quite a little, raft, sight, slew, spate, stack, tidy sum, wad, whole lot, whole slew; see also Thesaurus:lot
There is a vast deal of difference in memories, as well as in every thing else, and therefore you should make allowance for your cousin, and pity her deficiency.
There is a deal of obscurity concerning the identity of the species thus multitudinously baptized.
“They know our boats will stand up to their work,” said Willison, “and that counts for a good deal. A low estimate from us doesn't mean scamped work, but just that we want to keep the yard busy over a slack time.”
Like most human activities, ballooning has sponsored heroes and hucksters and a good deal in between. For every dedicated scientist patiently recording atmospheric pressure and wind speed while shivering at high altitudes, there is a carnival barker with a bevy of pretty girls willing to dangle from a basket or parachute down to earth.
Related words
related terms
a deal is a deal
Etimology
From Middle English delen, from Old English dǣlan (“to divide, part”), from Proto-West Germanic *dailijan, from Proto-Germanic *dailijaną (“to divide, part, deal”), from Proto-Indo-European *dʰail- (“part, watershed”).
verb
deal (third-person singular simple present deals, present participle dealing, simple past and past participle dealt or (nonstandard) dealed)
(transitive) To distribute among a number of recipients, to give out as one’s portion or share.
(transitive) To administer or give out, as in small portions.
(transitive, intransitive) To distribute cards to the players in a game.
(transitive) deliver damage, a blow, strike or cut. To inflict.
(baseball) To pitch.
(intransitive) To have dealings or business.
(intransitive) To conduct oneself, to behave.
(obsolete, intransitive) To take action; to act.
(intransitive) To trade professionally (followed by in).
(transitive, intransitive) To sell, especially to sell illicit drugs.
(intransitive) To be concerned with.
(intransitive) To handle, to manage, to cope.
Examples
Synonyms: apportion, divvy up, share, share out, portion out
The fighting is over; now we deal out the spoils of victory.
Rome deals out her blessings and her gold.
Synonyms: administer, allot, deal out, dish out, dispense, distribute, dole out, hand out, lot, mete out, parcel out, shell out
"Away, proud woman!" said the Lady; "who ever knew so well as thou to deal the deepest wounds under the pretence of kindness and courtesy?"
Norwich returned to second in the Championship with victory over Nottingham Forest, whose promotion hopes were dealt another blow.
I was dealt four aces.
The cards were shuffled, and the croupier dealt.
The boxer was dealt a blow to the head.
This is a heavy-handed weapon attack that can be made with a two-handed weapon, that will deal damage equal to 4 times your size category
Synonyms: pitch, throw
The whole crowd waited for him to deal a real humdinger.
Mr. Brownlow contrived to state his case; observing that, in the surprise of the moment, he had run after the boy because he saw him running away; and expressing his hope that, if the magistrate should believe him, although not actually the thief, to be connected with thieves; he would deal as leniently with him as justice would allow.
When the spice flow stops, all eyes will turn to Arrakis. The Baron and the Emperor himself will be forced to deal with us.
In Deheubarth that now South-wales is hight, / What time king Ryence raign'd, and dealed right [...].
Wel said syr Uwayne go on your waye, and lete me dele.
Synonyms: sell, trade, bargain
She deals in gold.
Synonym: sell
This club takes a dim view of members who deal drugs.
Science, it cannot be too often repeated, deals with tangible phenomena.
Then there was the sound of a struggle, and I knew that the attendants were dealing with him.
I can't deal with this.
I don't think he wants to go. — Yeah, well, we're going anyway, and he can deal.
noun
deal (plural deals)
(archaic in general sense) An act of dealing or sharing out.
(card games) The distribution of cards to players; a player's turn for this.
A particular instance of trading (buying or selling; exchanging; bartering); a transaction.
(in particular) A transaction offered which is financially beneficial; a bargain.
An agreement between parties; an arrangement.
(informal) A situation, occasion, or event.
(informal) A thing, an unspecified or unidentified object.
Examples
Synonym: hand
I didn’t have a good deal all evening.
I believe it's your deal.
Synonyms: business deal, sale, trade, transaction
We need to finalise the deal with Henderson by midnight.
recognizing the societal deal between capital and labor regarding retirement savings
The deal, which overtakes the £50m paid to Liverpool by Chelsea for Fernando Torres in January 2011 as the highest paid by a British club, takes United’s summer spend to £130.7m, following the £27m spent on Luke Shaw, the £28m for Ander Herrera and £16m for Marcos Rojo.
Synonyms: steal, bargain
You also have to look at the kind of mortgage deals available to you and whether you will be able to trade up to the kind of property you are looking for.
Synonyms: contract, pact
California lawmakers, their state broke and its credit rating shot, finally sealed the deal with the governor Monday night on a plan to close a $26 billion budget gap.
He made a deal with the devil.
I didn't deserve it, but he cut me a deal.
to cut a deal, to cut deals
to cut a fantastic deal, to cut a raw deal
What's the deal here?
Their new movie is the biggest deal of the year.
I don't think that's such a big deal.
Synonyms: dealy, thingy, whazzit
The deal with four tines is called a pitchfork.
I've never killed anybody before. I don't see what's the big deal.
Etimology
From Middle English dele (“plank”), from Middle Low German dele, from Old Saxon thili, ultimately from Proto-Germanic *þiljǭ (“plank, board”); cognate with Old English þille. Doublet of thill.
noun
deal (countable and uncountable, plural deals)
(uncountable) Wood that is easy to saw (from conifers such as pine or fir).
(countable) A plank of softwood (fir or pine board).
(countable, archaic) A wooden board or plank, usually between 12 or 14 feet in length, traded as a commodity in shipbuilding.
Examples
Some Houses were […] entirely lock’d up, the Doors padlockt, the Windows and Doors having Deal Boards nail’d over them,
A brisk fire burned in the grate, there were three comfortable chairs, and a deal table with a water carafe, a bucket of coals, and a few other amenities.
It shall not be lawful for any person to land any timber, planks or board, deals, staves, tar, pitch, turpentine, rozin or other the commodities aforesaid, on any part of the present quays within the city of Bristol, from any vessel coming into the said port...
Swedish deals from ports in the Baltic
1 deal = 12 ft x 11 in. x 3/2 in.
adjective
deal (not comparable)
Made of deal.
Examples
A plain deal table
Deal table in the middle, plain chairs all round the walls, on one end a large shining map, marked with all the colours of a rainbow.
She glanced round the kitchen. It was small and curious to her, with its glittering kissing-bunch, its evergreens behind the pictures, its wooden chairs and little deal table.
Through the open door you see a red-tiled floor, a large wooden bed, and on a deal table a ewer and a basin.