horse-trading (horse trading)
verb

- negotiation accompanied by shrewd bargaining and reciprocal concessions

- to have unofficial discussions in which people make agreements that provide both sides with advantages

- the buying and selling of horses

Merriam-Webster, The Cambridge Dictionary

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PHRASE ORIGIN

In the 18th and 19th centuries, horse trading was a widespread practice, especially in rural and agricultural societies. Horses were essential for transportation, farming, and work, making them valuable commodities.

Buyers and sellers in horse markets engaged in negotiations that involved assessing the animal’s health, age, and abilities. Sellers often tried to hide flaws, while buyers sought to uncover them. This created an environment of clever maneuvering and sharp bargaining.

Horse traders developed a reputation for being particularly astute, resourceful, and sometimes unscrupulous. The stereotype of the "wily horse trader" who could talk up the value of a poor horse or drive a hard bargain contributed to the phrase's figurative evolution.

By the mid-19th century, "horse trading" began to be used figuratively to describe any negotiation involving shrewd bargaining, often with an implication of cleverness, strategy, or manipulation.

The term became popular in political contexts to describe behind-the-scenes negotiations, deal-making, and compromises. For instance, it was often used to describe legislative bargaining, where politicians would trade support for various bills or policies.

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THE COWBOY WHO GOT TAKEN FOR A RIDE


A hilarious horse-trading anecdote involves a clever horse dealer who sold a blind horse to an unsuspecting cowboy. When the cowboy approached the dealer about a beautiful horse, the dealer offered it for just $10, repeatedly warning that “he don’t look too good.”

The cowboy, thinking he was getting an incredible bargain, purchased the horse. Later that day, he returned furious, discovering the horse was completely blind - literally bumping into everything. The dealer’s response? “But I told you he don’t look so good.”

This story underlines the classic reputation of horse traders as cunning and somewhat unscrupulous characters, often using trickery and misdirection to complete a sale. The tale highlights the age-old practice of “horse trading” as more than just a transaction, but an art of clever negotiation and strategic communication.

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SYNONYMS



bargaining, bartering, brokering, cajoling, chaffering, compromising, conferencing, consulting, contracting, debating, dealing, deliberating, dickering, discussing, exchanging, finagling, haggling, HORSE-TRADING, jockeying, mediating, negotiating, networking, pandering, parleying, persuading, pitching, politicking, proposing, quid pro quo, razzmatazz, reconciling, resolving, scheming, selling, settling, strategizing, striking, swindling, trading, transacting, wheeling, wrangling.

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SMUGGLE OWAD into an English conversation, say something like:

"The worst HORSE-TRADING happens at 2 AM when you're negotiating with yourself about whether to keep scrolling or go to sleep!”

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