TRAFFIC • DICTIONARY ONE.COM • Definition of Traffic

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/trˈæfɪk/ Listen

noun

Traffic n.

Commerce, either by barter or by buying and selling; interchange of goods and commodities; trade. "A merchant of great traffic through the world." "The traffic in honors, places, and pardons." Note: This word, like trade, comprehends every species of dealing in the exchange or passing of goods or merchandise from hand to hand for an equivalent, unless the business of relating may be excepted. It signifies appropriately foreign trade, but is not limited to that.

Commodities of the market. (R.) "You 'll see a draggled damsel From Billingsgate her fishy traffic bear."

The business done upon a railway, steamboat line, etc., with reference to the number of passengers or the amount of freight carried.

Traffic return, a periodical statement of the receipts for goods and passengers, as on a railway line.

Traffic taker, a computer of the returns of traffic on a railway, steamboat line, etc.

verb

Traffic v. t. (past & past part. trafficked; pres. part. trafficking) To exchange in traffic; to effect by a bargain or for a consideration.

Traffic v. i. (past & past part. trafficked; pres. part. trafficking)

To pass goods and commodities from one person to another for an equivalent in goods or money; to buy or sell goods; to barter; to trade.

To trade meanly or mercenarily; to bargain.

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Etymology of 'Traffic'

Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48

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"Traffic" Quotes from Famous Books

... do not know what it has to answer for; the wars and plots and robberies, the perjuries and murders; for this men will endure slavery and imprisonment; for this they traffic and sail ...

— Works, V1 • Lucian of Samosata

... wine was sometimes sold in Italy for less than three farthings, and a quarter of wheat at about five shillings and sixpence. [75] A country possessed of so many valuable objects of exchange soon attracted the merchants of the world, whose beneficial traffic was encouraged and protected by the liberal spirit of Theodoric. The free intercourse of the provinces by land and water was restored and extended; the city gates were never shut either by day or by night; and the common saying, that ...

— The History of The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire - Volume 4 • Edward Gibbon

... but of everything. Wait, please," she begged, seeing signs of impatience in the sailor's face. "Let me tell you; then advise me, please. This horrible traffic is being carried on, without any doubt. It has broken Mr. Gordon and has drawn nearly all our native men from their lawful work and the Church. All the Mission men now are away in the jungle trying to bring back the foolish boys to the village and the Mission. I am alone here, except for ...

— Gold Out of Celebes • Aylward Edward Dingle

... liquids in leisurely fashion from six o'clock until bed time. There would be plenty of talking and smoking and plying of needles as the moonlight or river lights danced forth to guide the active river traffic and also the large inflowings and outflowings of restaurant guests. And all to the bracing music of a capital orchestra reeling off ...

— Villa Elsa - A Story of German Family Life • Stuart Henry

... rebels to communicate with their friends in New York," quoth I, "despite the traffic of goods between the Whig country folk and some of our people, that ...

— Philip Winwood • Robert Neilson Stephens

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