† contractationn.
Obsolete.
1.
a. Mutual dealing, bargaining, trading.
ΘΚΠ
society > trade and finance > [noun]
mongingOE
cheapinga1000
cheapOE
chaffer?c1225
merchandisea1300
market-making1340
merchandyc1350
corseriec1380
chafferinga1382
need-doinga1382
changea1387
chapmanhoodc1386
cossery?a1400
bargaining1401
merchandisinga1425
merchandrya1450
intercourse1473
business1478
chapmanry1483
the feat of merchandisec1503
market1525
trade1549
marting1553
contractation1555
trading1556
merchantryc1560
marketing1561
mart1562
trafficking1570
contraction1582
tract1582
nundination1586
commerce1587
chafferya1599
negotiation1601
intertraffica1603
traffic1603
commercery1604
intertrading1606
correspondence1607
mercature1611
correspondency1613
coss?1635
negotiating1640
dealing1691
chapmanship1727
merchanting1883
intertrade1915
15551 [see contractation-house n. at sense 1b].
1578 T. Nicholas tr. F. Lopez de Gómara Pleasant Hist. Conquest W. India 65 An harbour was not sufficient for his Navie and contratation.
1622 R. Hawkins Observ. Voiage South Sea xli. 97 In this Iland of Mocha we had communication and contratation with the inhabitants.
1648 T. Gage Eng.-Amer. (1655) xii. 55 But for Contractation it is one of the richest Cities in the World.
1658 E. Phillips New World Eng. Words Contractation, Contratation.
b. contractation-house n. an exchange or treasury in Seville where contracts were made in connection with the West Indian trade.
ΘΚΠ
society > trade and finance > trading place > a centre of commerce > [noun] > place where merchants meet > specific
contractation-house1555
contraction-house1622
1555 R. Eden tr. G. F. de Oviedo y Valdés Summarie Gen. Hist. W. Indies in tr. Peter Martyr of Angleria Decades of Newe Worlde f. 175 Siuile, where yowre maiestie haue yowre house of contractation for those partes.
1555 R. Eden in tr. Peter Martyr of Angleria Decades of Newe Worlde Pref. sig. aij A house in the citie of Siuile (cauled the house of the contractes of India).
1578 T. Nicholas tr. F. Lopez de Gómara Pleasant Hist. Conquest W. India Pref. 3 I have in the Contractation house in the citie of Sevill..the summe of thirtie thousand Duckets.
1596 W. Raleigh Discoverie Guiana (new ed.) 99 I doubt not but to see in London a Contratation house of more receipt for Guiana, than there is now in Ciuill for the West indies.
1725 London Gaz. No. 6409/1 Instances made by the Contractation-House and the Traders of Seville.
2. The action of contracting or acquiring. rare.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > possession > acquisition > [noun] > contracting a quality or habit
contractation1603
contraction1683
1603 P. Holland tr. Plutarch Morals 1111 The contractation and apprehension of one and the same quality.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1893; most recently modified version published online June 2021).
<
n.1555