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Webster 1913 Edition
Cheapen
Cheap′en
,Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Cheapened
; p. pr. & vb. n.
Cheapening
.] [OE.
cheapien
, chepen
, to trade, buy, sell, AS. ceápian
; akin to D. koopen
to buy, G. kaufen
, Icel. kaupa
, Goth. kaupōn
to trade. Cf. Chap
to bargain.] 1.
To ask the price of; to bid, bargain, or chaffer for.
[Obsoles.]
Pretend to
cheapen
goods, but nothing buy. Swift.
2.
[Cf. ]
Cheap
, Adj.
To beat down the price of; to lessen the value of; to depreciate.
Pope.
My proffered love has
cheapened
me. Dryden.
Webster 1828 Edition
Cheapen
CHEAPEN
, v.t.1.
To attempt to buy; to ask the price of a commodity; to chaffer.To shops in crowds the daggled females fly,
Pretend to cheapen goods, but nothing buy.
2.
To lessen value.