Part 50

W. Black.

It was formerly limited by some, every, never a, a thousand, etc.; as, some deal; but these are now obsolete or vulgar. In general, we now qualify the word with great or good, and often use it adverbially, by being understood; as, a great deal of time and pains; a great (or good) deal better or worse; that is, better by a great deal, or by a great part or difference.

2. The process of dealing cards to the players; also, the portion disturbed.

The deal, the shuffle, and the cut.

Swift.

3. Distribution; apportionment. [Colloq.]

4. An arrangement to attain a desired result by a combination of interested parties; -- applied to stock speculations and political bargains. [Slang]

5. [Prob. from D. deel a plank, threshing floor. See Thill.] The division of a piece of timber made by sawing; a board or plank; particularly, a board or plank of fir or pine above seven inches in width, and exceeding six feet in length. If narrower than this, it is called a batten; if shorter, a deal end.

Whole deal is a general term for planking one and one half inches thick.

6. Wood of the pine or fir; as, a floor of deal.

Deal tree, a fir tree. Dr. Prior.

Deal, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Dealt (dlt); p. pr. & vb. n. Dealing.] [OE. delen, AS. dlan, fr. dl share; akin to OS. dlian, D. deelen, G. theilen, teilen, Icel. deila, Sw. dela, Dan. dele, Goth. dailjan. See Deal, n.] 1. To divide; to separate in portions; hence, to give in portions; to distribute; to bestow successively; -- sometimes with out.

Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry?

Is. lviii. 7.

And Rome deals out her blessings and her gold.

Tickell.

The nightly mallet deals resounding blows.

Gay.

Hissing through the skies, the feathery deaths were dealt.

Dryden.

2. Specifically: To distribute, as cards, to the players at the commencement of a game; as, to deal the cards; to deal one a jack.

Deal, v. i. 1. To make distribution; to share out in portions, as cards to the players.

2. To do a distributing or retailing business, as distinguished from that of a manufacturer or producer; to traffic; to trade; to do business; as, he deals in flour.

They buy and sell, they deal and traffic.

South.

This is to drive to wholesale trade, when all other petty merchants deal but for parcels.

Dr. H. More.

3. To act as an intermediary in business or any affairs; to manage; to make arrangements; -- followed by between or with.