Market \Mar"ket\, n. [Akin to D. markt, OHG. mark[=a]t,
merk[=a]t, G. markt; all fr.L. mercatus trade, market place,
fr. mercari, p. p. mercatus, to trade, traffic, merx, mercis,
ware, merchandise, prob. akin to merere to deserve, gain,
acquire: cf. F. march['e]. See Merit, and cf. Merchant,
Mart.]
1. A meeting together of people, at a stated time and place,
for the purpose of traffic (as in cattle, provisions,
wares, etc.) by private purchase and sale, and not by
auction; as, a market is held in the town every week.
He is wit's peddler; and retails his wares At wakes,
and wassails, meetings, markets, fairs. --Shak.
Three women and a goose make a market. --Old Saying.
2. A public place (as an open space in a town) or a large
building, where a market is held; a market place or market
house; esp., a place where provisions are sold.
There is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool.
--John v. 2.
3. An opportunity for selling anything; demand, as shown by
price offered or obtainable; a town, region, or country,
where the demand exists; as, to find a market for one's
wares; there is no market for woolen cloths in that
region; India is a market for English goods.
There is a third thing to be considered: how a
market can be created for produce, or how production
can be limited to the capacities of the market. --J.
S. Mill.
4. Exchange, or purchase and sale; traffic; as, a dull
market; a slow market.
5. The price for which a thing is sold in a market; market
price. Hence: Value; worth.
What is a man If his chief good and market of his
time Be but to sleep and feed ? --Shak.
6. (Eng. Law) The privelege granted to a town of having a
public market.
Note: Market is often used adjectively, or in forming
compounds of obvious meaning; as, market basket, market
day, market folk, market house, marketman, market
place, market price, market rate, market wagon, market
woman, and the like.
Market beater, a swaggering bully; a noisy braggart. [Obs.]
--Chaucer.
Market bell, a bell rung to give notice that buying and
selling in a market may begin. [Eng.]
--Shak.
Market cross, a cross set up where a market is held.
--Shak.
Market garden, a garden in which vegetables are raised for
market.
Market gardening, the raising of vegetables for market.
Market place, an open square or place in a town where
markets or public sales are held.
Market town, a town that has the privilege of a stated
public market.
Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
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