horsetrade

English

Etymology

horse +‎ trade

Pronunciation

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Verb

horsetrade (third-person singular simple present horsetrades, present participle horsetrading, simple past and past participle horsetraded)

1. (idiomatic) To negotiate informally, especially when bargaining or reciprocal concessions are included, frequently regarding politics.
   • 2013, A. Scott Berg, Wilson, Penguin, →ISBN:

     Nobody appeared to have told [Woodrow] Wilson that [William F.] McCombs had, in fact, already horsetraded the position to [Thomas R.] Marshall in exchange for Indiana's votes.