cheapen
English
[edit]Etymology
[edit]Pronunciation
[edit]Verb
[edit]cheapen (third-person singular simple present cheapens, present participle cheapening, simple past and past participle cheapened)
- (transitive) To decrease the value or price of; to make cheaper.
- 1961 November, “Talking of Trains: The North Eastern's new rail-mounted piling unit”, in Trains Illustrated, page 646:
- Now, covered concrete troughs to house the cables are laid parallel with the railway lines, cheapening maintenance because of improved accessibility for inspection and repair.
- (transitive) To make vulgar.
- 2017 August 13, Brandon Nowalk, “Oldtown Offers One Last Game-changing Secret as Game of Thrones Goes behind Enemy Lines (Newbies)”, in The Onion A.V. Club[1]:
- The pace of the season can't help but cheapen these scenes, but I can’t deny that it's a blast. I’ve been critical of both the relative depopulation of the cast in this final run and the speedy, schematic narrative that checks off high points and moves on without really building to them.
- (intransitive) To become cheaper.
- (transitive, obsolete) To bargain for, ask the price of.
- 1861 November, W[illiam] M[akepeace] Thackeray, “George the First”, in The Four Georges: Sketches of Manners, Morals, Court, and Town Life, London: Smith, Elder and Co., […], →OCLC, pages 34–35:
- I should like to have seen that noble old madcap Peterborough in his boots (he actually had the audacity to walk about Bath in boots!), with his blue ribbon and stars, and a cabbage under each arm, and a chicken in his hand, which he had been cheapening for his dinner.
- 1863, J[oseph] Sheridan Le Fanu, The House by the Church-yard. […], volume (please specify |volume=I to III), London: Tinsley, Brothers, […], →OCLC:
- The maid was on the step, cheapening fish with a virulent lady who had a sieve-full to dispose of.
Derived terms
[edit]Translations
[edit]to make cheaper
|
to become cheaper
See also
[edit]- (lower the value or price): affordability