deal
/ˈdiːl/
Word Rarity
Common
Frequency: 5.32 in modern English
5
Scrabble Score
4
Letters
1
Syllables
4
Unique Chars
Meaning
verb
To distribute among a number of recipients, to give out as one’s portion or share.
Transitive verb
verb
To distribute cards to the players in a game.
verb
To pitch.
Example Sentences
- "We gave three deals of grain in tribute to the king."
- "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."
- "The fighting is over; now we deal out the spoils of victory."
Etymology
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 *dʰ(h₁)-oy-lo- (“part, watershed”). Cognate with Scots dele (“part, portion”), West Frisian diel (“part, share”), Dutch deel (“part, share, portion”), German Teil (“part, portion, section”), Danish, Slovene, and Swedish del (“part”), Icelandic deila (“division, contention”), Gothic 𐌳𐌰𐌹𐌻𐍃 (dails, “portion”). Related to Old English dāl (“portion”). More at dole.
Origin
Word Breakdown
Usage
Inflected Forms
Derived Forms
Phrases
a great deal
a good deal
big deal
real deal
half-deal
dealable → undealable
deal a bad hand
deal a good hand