Shopping: English Vocabulary List

to negotiate the terms of a contract, sale, or similar arrangement for a better agreement, price, etc.

"You should bargain for a better price."

"The tourist tried to bargain with the street vendor to get a lower price for the handmade necklace."

to exchange goods or services without using money

"People barter goods without using money."

"In some rural areas people still barter goods instead of using money to buy what they need."

to negotiate, typically over the price of goods or services

"Haggle over the price at the market."

"The tourist tried to haggle with the street vendor to get a better price for the handmade necklace."

to cheat someone by giving back less money than owed

"The cashier shortchanged me by five dollars."

"The dishonest cashier tried to shortchange the customer by giving her less money than she was owed."

supplied or given for free

"The drinks are complimentary."

"The hotel offers complimentary breakfast to all guests and you can choose from cereal eggs fruit and fresh coffee every morning."

(of prices) unreasonably or extremely high

"The price is exorbitant."

"The landlord charged an exorbitant rent for the small apartment and the tenants decided to move out because they could not afford it."

without costing anything

"The drinks were provided gratis."

"The drinks were provided gratis by the hotel as a courtesy to their guests who had booked the deluxe package."

the amount added to the price of something to cover overheads and profit

"The markup was high."

"Retailers often apply a significant markup to their goods to ensure profitability and cover operational expenses."

a short period of time during which one does a particular activity in an extreme way without control, especially spending money

"The shopping spree lasted all day."

"She went on a shopping spree and bought many new clothes last weekend."

a small store in which fashionable clothes or accessories are sold

"She opened a small boutique."

"We visited a charming boutique downtown that sold handmade jewelry and unique accessories."

a shop or section of a store that sells high-quality, ready-to-eat foods like cold cuts, cheeses, and salads

"He ordered a sandwich from the delicatessen."

"We visit the delicatessen to buy cheese and cold cuts every weekend."

a large retail store selling various goods, or a particular type of goods

"The department store was a huge emporium of goods."

"The large emporium sells everything from furniture to food in one big building."

a small store with an open front selling newspapers, etc.

"Buy a paper at the kiosk."

"There is a small kiosk near the train station where you can buy newspapers and magazines."

a facility where coin-operated washing machines and dryers are available to customers

"She washes clothes at the laundromat."

"She took her large comforter to the laundromat because it would not fit in her home washing machine."

a shop selling alcoholic drinks to be taken away and consumed elsewhere

"She bought a bottle of wine at the off-licence."

"The off-licence shop sells alcohol and cigarettes in the United Kingdom."

a store in which one leaves personal belongings to get a loan, and if the money is not returned, the pawnbroker can possess or sell these objects

"He sold his guitar at the pawnshop."

"He visited the pawnshop to sell his old watch for some cash last week."

a type of shopping center, common in North America

"We went to the plaza."

"This large North American plaza offers a wide variety of shops and restaurants for shoppers."

a commercial area in a city or a town that is closed to traffic

"The precinct has many shops."

"The pedestrianized shopping precinct offered a pleasant and safe environment for shoppers to browse the various stores."

a store where cheap, ready-made clothing is available for purchase

"He bought cheap work pants at the slopshop."

"The old slopshop sold cheap ready-made clothes many years ago."

the owner of a property or business

"The proprietor closed the store early."

"The shop proprietor greeted customers with a smile every morning."

a market in which fresh meat, fish, fruit, and vegetables are sold to customers, especially in Asia

"Visit wet market."

"We visit the wet market early in the morning to buy fresh fish and vegetables."

the process or activity of selling goods in large quantities to businesses at a lower price

"They buy products wholesale and sell them retail."

"The store buys its products wholesale directly from manufacturers and then sells them at retail prices."

products used in a bathroom for washing and taking care of one's body, such as soap, toothpaste, and shampoo

"Pack your toiletries bag."

"She packed all her essential toiletries, including soap, shampoo, and toothpaste, for the trip."

large electrical home appliances such as washing machines and refrigerators

"White goods store."

"The white goods store sells refrigerators"

a unit of value, especially monetary value

"What is the denomination?"

"The denomination of the currency significantly impacts its purchasing power and economic stability."

a piece of paper or a disc of metal or plastic used instead of money as a form of payment or to operate some machines

"Use this token."

"Insert a token into the machine to start the washing cycle."

a digital code or a printed piece of paper that can be used instead of money when making a purchase or used to receive a discount

"She used a voucher to get twenty percent off."

"He received a voucher for twenty percent off his next purchase as compensation for the delayed delivery."

(in the US) a small grocery shop, especially in a neighborhood inhabited by a Spanish-speaking population

"I bought coffee at the corner bodega."

"We bought fresh milk from the local bodega near our house every morning."

a shop or business offering specific goods or services

"Beauty parlor is open."

"She went to the beauty parlor to get her hair styled for the important wedding ceremony."

an individual who is in the habit of spending money in a careless and wasteful way

"The spendthrift wasted his inheritance."

"The spendthrift wasted his inheritance and was broke within two years of receiving it."

someone on the street who offers food, clothing, etc. for sale

"The street vendor sold fruit."

"The bustling marketplace was filled with the calls of each eager vendor."