shop

I. noun Usage: often attributive Etymology: Middle English shoppe, from Old English sceoppa booth; akin to Old High German scopf shed Date: 14th century 1. a handicraft establishment ; atelier 2. a. a building or room stocked with merchandise for sale ; store b. (also shoppe) a small retail establishment or a department in a large one offering a specified line of goods or services <

a millinery shop

> <

a sandwich shop

> 3. a commercial establishment for the making or repair of goods or machinery <

machine shop

> <

repair shop

> 4. a. a school laboratory equipped for industrial arts education b. the art or science of working with tools and machinery 5. a. a business establishment ; office <

a public relations shop

> b. shoptalk <

talking shop

> II. verb (shopped; shopping) Date: 1764 intransitive verb 1. a. to examine goods or services with intent to buy b. to hunt through a market in search of the best buy 2. to make a search ; hunt <

shopping around for a better idea

> transitive verb 1. British to inform on ; betray 2. to examine the stock or offerings of <

shop the stores for Christmas gift ideas

> 3. to offer for consideration or acceptance; especially to offer for sale or in a trade — often used with around <

shopping the manuscript around

>