negotiate
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
to talk with someone to reach an agreement, especially in business or politics.
to confer with others to reach a compromise or formal agreement. Often used intransitively with 'with' or transitively with the agreement as the object.
Simple“The union is meeting today to negotiate with the company for better pay.”
In context“The diplomats worked through the night to negotiate a ceasefire that both nations could realistically support without losing face.”
UsageOften takes the preposition 'with' (the person) or 'for' (the goal).
- 02 C2 Proficiency
to transfer a legal document, like a cheque, to another person so they can use it.
to transfer a bill, draft, or other negotiable instrument to another person by delivery or endorsement.
Simple“The bank will negotiate the cheque once you have signed the back of it.”
In context“The commercial paper was negotiated to a third party, effectively transferring all rights of payment to the new holder.”
“Dollimore has been negotiating with the museum to get access for children of “1066 country”, which she represents, to see the exhibition free of charge.”
“This decision to allow increased charges comes on top of already-agreed bill rises that were negotiated with the water companies in 2024.”
c. 1598; borrowed from Latin negōtiātus, perfect active participle of negōtior (“to do business, trade”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from negotium (“business”) + -or, from nec (“not”) + otium (“leisure, ease, inactivity”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.