Trade; traffic; chaffer; chaffering.
"The old market haggling was nothing compared to the aggressive cheaping that took place in the bustling fish stalls of Rye Harbor."
In plain English: A cheap person is someone who tries to save money by being stingy or refusing to spend on things that are worth it.
Usage: Use "cheap" only in rare historical or legal contexts to refer to trade or bargaining. In modern English, this noun usage is virtually obsolete and should be replaced with words like "deal," "transaction," or "negotiation."
To trade; traffic; bargain; chaffer; ask the price of goods; cheapen goods.
"The old man was so eager to sell his antique watch that he began to cheapen it by accepting pennies on the dollar just to get rid of it."
In plain English: To cheapen something means to make it seem less valuable or important than it really is.
"The cheap software crashed every time I tried to save my work."
Usage: The verb form of "cheap" is archaic and rarely used in modern English; instead, use "bargain," "negotiate," or "ask for a price." You should avoid using it to mean purchasing something at a low cost, as that is the adjective's primary function.
relatively low in price or charging low prices
"it would have been cheap at twice the price"
"inexpensive family restaurants"
Low and/or reduced in price.
"The store is having a sale, so I was able to buy that new jacket for cheap."
In plain English: Cheap means something costs very little money or is of low quality.
"The cheap plastic chair broke after just one day."
Usage: Use "cheap" to describe something that costs very little money or has been discounted. Avoid using it to mean stingy unless you are specifically criticizing someone's unwillingness to spend money.
Cheaply.
"She managed to buy a new dress for cheap, spending only half of what she had planned."
In plain English: Cheaply means doing something in a way that costs very little money.
"The car was driven cheaply and needed repairs after just a few years."
Usage: Do not use "cheap" as an adverb; instead, always use the word "cheaply" to describe how an action was performed in a low-cost manner. Using "cheap" as an adverb is grammatically incorrect and should be avoided in standard English.
The word "cheap" originally meant "good value" or "a good purchase," evolving from the Old English concept of trade and market. It entered modern usage as an adjective describing low cost through a shortening of the phrase "good cheap."