Phrasal verb
bargain on
Definition
phrasal verb. to expect or plan for something to happen. You often use this in the negative when something surprises you.
phrasal verb. to anticipate or include something in one's plans; most frequently used in negative constructions to indicate an unforeseen complication.
Examples
“I didn't bargain on the traffic being this bad.”
“The company hadn't bargained on such a sharp increase in raw material costs this quarter.”
“The revolutionary forces had clearly not bargained on the level of international intervention that followed their initial success.”
Examples
simple
“I didn't bargain on the traffic being this bad.”
contextual
“The company hadn't bargained on such a sharp increase in raw material costs this quarter.”
complex
“The revolutionary forces had clearly not bargained on the level of international intervention that followed their initial success.”
Usage
usually used in the negative ('didn't bargain on') or with 'more than'.
Teaching tip
contrast with 'count on' (which implies reliance) and 'expect' (which is neutral); 'bargain on' often implies the thing expected is a difficulty or a cost.
Pitfall
I didn't bargain for the rain.
I didn't bargain on the rain.
while 'bargain for' is also used, 'bargain on' is the standard phrasal verb for anticipating a situation; avoid mixing the two in formal writing.
Phrasal verb
Particles
on
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
bargain + on + object
Synonyms
Antonyms
Grammar
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/bargain-on