barter (barter)

[ All government, indeed every human benefit and enjoyment, every virtue, and every prudent act, is founded on compromise and barter. Burke, Conciliation with America, 1775. Article is exchanged for article without the use of money or credit. This is simple barter . D. Webster , Speech, Senate, March 18, 1834. 2. The thing given in exchange.-3. An arithmetical rule by which the values of different goods are ascertained and compared. =Syn. 1. Dealing, trade, traffic, truck, interchange.