TOP

Definition of exchange verb from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

exchange

verb
 
/ɪksˈtʃeɪndʒ/
 
/ɪksˈtʃeɪndʒ/
Verb Forms
present simple I / you / we / they exchange
 
/ɪksˈtʃeɪndʒ/
 
/ɪksˈtʃeɪndʒ/
he / she / it exchanges
 
/ɪksˈtʃeɪndʒɪz/
 
/ɪksˈtʃeɪndʒɪz/
past simple exchanged
 
/ɪksˈtʃeɪndʒd/
 
/ɪksˈtʃeɪndʒd/
past participle exchanged
 
/ɪksˈtʃeɪndʒd/
 
/ɪksˈtʃeɪndʒd/
-ing form exchanging
 
/ɪksˈtʃeɪndʒɪŋ/
 
/ɪksˈtʃeɪndʒɪŋ/
Idioms
jump to other results

    give and receive

  1. [transitive] to give something to somebody and at the same time receive the same type of thing from them
    • exchange something to exchange news/information
    • We use the forum to exchange ideas.
    • Juliet and David exchanged glances (= they looked at each other).
    • Everyone in the group exchanged email addresses.
    • The two men exchanged blows (= hit each other).
    • exchange something with somebody I shook hands and exchanged a few words with the manager.
    • (be) exchanged between A and B He read the letters exchanged between Anna and her friend.
  2. money

  3. [transitive] to change an amount of one currency for an equal value of another synonym change
    • exchange something Where can I exchange my money?
    • exchange A for B You can exchange your currency for dollars in the hotel.
    Topics Moneyb1
  4. goods

  5. [transitive] to give or return something that you have and get something different or better instead
    • exchange something If it doesn't fit, take it back and the store will exchange it.
    • exchange A for B I need to exchange this for a larger size.
    see also part-exchange
  6. contracts

  7. [transitive, intransitive] exchange (contracts) (on something) (especially British English) when a buyer and seller exchange contracts, especially on the sale of a house or land, they each sign a copy of the contract and give it to the other person
    • The firm has just exchanged contracts on a nine-acre site.
    • We exchanged on the house last week.
    Topics Houses and homesc2
  8. Word Originlate Middle English: from Old French eschange (noun), eschangier (verb), based on changer, from late Latin cambiare, from Latin cambire ‘barter’. The spelling was influenced by Latin ex- ‘out, utterly’ (see ex-).
Idioms
have/exchange words (with somebody) (about something)
  1. (especially British English) to have an argument with somebody
    • We've had words.
    • Words were exchanged.
    Topics Opinion and argumentc2
See exchange in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee exchange in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English
given
adjective
 
 
From the Word list
OPAL spoken words
Oxford Learner's Dictionaries Word of the Day