dealings
B2Formal to Neutral. Common in business, legal, journalistic, and formal general contexts.
Definition
Meaning
The activities, interactions, or transactions a person or organization has with others, often implying a series of exchanges or a relationship over time.
It can specifically refer to financial or business transactions, but also to general social or personal interactions, often with a nuance of the nature or quality of that relationship (e.g., honest, shady, direct).
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Almost always plural. Implies a series of interactions rather than a single event. Carries a neutral-to-formal tone and often prompts evaluation (e.g., 'fair dealings,' 'questionable dealings').
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning. Slightly more common in British financial/business reporting, but standard in both.
Connotations
Identical. Can be neutral or negative depending on modifiers.
Frequency
Comparable frequency, with a slight edge in British corpus data for formal contexts.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
have dealings with [person/organisation]be involved in dealings [with/in][adjective] dealings in [field/area]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “have no truck nor dealings with (archaic/formal)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to commercial or financial transactions and negotiations. 'The company's dealings with overseas suppliers are strictly confidential.'
Academic
Used in history, politics, or economics to describe interactions between states, groups, or in markets. 'The paper analyses the diplomatic dealings of the 19th century.'
Everyday
Used formally to describe interactions with people, often when character or ethics are in question. 'I want nothing more to do with him after our previous dealings.'
Technical
In law, it denotes transactions affecting legal rights (e.g., 'dealings in land/property').
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- He deals in antique furniture.
- The council will deal with the complaint.
American English
- She deals in real estate.
- We need to deal with this issue quickly.
adverb
British English
- She dealt fairly with the situation.
American English
- He dealt directly with the manufacturer.
adjective
British English
- They are our dealing partners in the EU.
American English
- The dealing desk is on the main trading floor.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I have had business dealings with that company.
- His dealings with his neighbours are always friendly.
- The bank is under investigation for its shady financial dealings.
- After our previous dealings, I trust him completely.
- The journalist wrote about the government's dealings with foreign investors.
- The conglomerate's covert dealings in the conflict zone were exposed by the press.
- Her extensive dealings in the art world have given her an unrivalled network of contacts.
- The contract was voided due to the fraudulent dealings of one of the signatories.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a car DEALER. A dealer has many DEALINGS (transactions) with customers. The '-INGS' ending makes it the activity of making deals.
Conceptual Metaphor
SOCIAL INTERACTION IS COMMERCE (We 'have dealings' with people as if conducting business transactions).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct translation as "делишки" which is diminutive and often negative. Use "дела" (business affairs), "отношения" (relations), or "операции" (transactions) depending on context.
- Do not confuse with singular "deal" (сделка). "Dealings" is a plural noun for the general activity.
Common Mistakes
- Using it as a singular noun (e.g., 'a dealings'). Always plural.
- Confusing with the verb 'deal' (e.g., 'He dealings with clients' is wrong; correct: 'He deals' or 'His dealings').
- Overusing in informal contexts where 'contact with' or 'talking to' is more natural.
Practice
Quiz
In which sentence is the word 'dealings' used INCORRECTLY?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, in modern English, 'dealings' is almost exclusively used as a plural noun. The singular form 'dealing' is rare and usually part of a compound (e.g., 'dealing room') or in the phrase 'fair dealing' as a legal/ethical concept.
Yes, but it depends on the modifier. Words like 'honest', 'fair', 'ethical', or 'successful' give it a positive connotation. Without a modifier, it is neutral, but the context often implies evaluation.
'Transactions' is more specific and technical, typically referring to individual acts of buying/selling. 'Dealings' is broader, referring to the general activity, relationship, or series of interactions, which may include negotiations, communications, and transactions.
It is neutral-to-formal. It is perfectly standard in business and news writing. In casual conversation, people might use simpler terms like 'business with...', 'contact with...', or 'how someone deals with people'.