horsetrade
Haggle for compromise
Horsetrade is to negotiate shrewdly, with each party bargaining hard for advantage.
The term evokes old livestock markets where buyers and sellers haggled over horses, each trying to get the better deal.
Extended to any tough negotiation: The senators horsetraded for weeks before reaching a compromise.
Also spelled as two words or hyphenated.
The noun horsetrade or horse-trading describes such bargaining.
Negotiating mutually acceptable terms
- hagglingNegotiating a lower price
- dickeringNegotiating over price
- barterDirect goods-for-goods exchange
- give-and-takeMutual concession between parties
mediation · arbitration · parley · terms · stipulations · counter-offer · leverage · stalemate
Trading political support mutually
- backroomPrivate space for dealings
- concessionYielding a point
- quid-pro-quoExchange of equivalents
- earmarkDesignate for specific purpose
compromise · coalition-building · bipartisan · legislative · amendment · rider · filibuster · caucus
Exchange one for another
- exchangeMutual giving and receiving
- transactionExchange of goods/money
- brokerageTransaction-facilitating service
- bazaarOpen-air merchant district
marketplace · auction · peddler · stallholder · mercantile · flea-market · tender · middleman
bargaining
Negotiating mutually acceptable terms
- hagglingNegotiating a lower price
- dickeringNegotiating over price
- barterDirect goods-for-goods exchange
give-and-take · mediation · arbitration · parley · terms · stipulations · counter-offer · leverage · stalemate · conciliation
logrolling
Trading political support mutually
- backroomPrivate space for dealings
- concessionYielding a point
- quid-pro-quoExchange of equivalents
earmark · compromise · coalition-building · bipartisan · legislative · amendment · rider · filibuster · caucus · lobbying
swap
Exchange one for another
- exchangeMutual giving and receiving
- transactionExchange of goods/money
- brokerageTransaction-facilitating service
bazaar · marketplace · auction · peddler · stallholder · mercantile · flea-market · tender · middleman · consignment
horsetradehold firm
Maintain one's position
stick to one's guns · intransigence · inflexibility · dogmatism · ideological purity