regrate: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Very Low / ArchaicHistorical, Legal, Formal
Quick answer
What does “regrate” mean?
To buy up goods, especially food, in order to sell them again at a higher price in the same or a nearby market.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
To buy up goods, especially food, in order to sell them again at a higher price in the same or a nearby market; to engage in profiteering by hoarding and reselling.
Historically, the act was considered a form of market manipulation and was often illegal. In modern usage, it can metaphorically describe any similar practice of buying and reselling for unfair profit, though the term is now rare.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant modern regional difference, as the term is obsolete in both varieties. Historical British legal texts may have more instances.
Connotations
Universally negative, implying unethical, anti-competitive market behavior.
Frequency
Extremely rare in contemporary use. Might appear in historical novels, academic papers on economic history, or discussions of analogous modern practices (e.g., ticket touting, scalping).
Grammar
How to Use “regrate” in a Sentence
[Subject] regrates [Object (goods/commodities)][Subject] is regrating [Object] in [Location (market)]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “regrate” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The medieval ordinance sought to prevent merchants from regrating wheat in the town market.
- He was fined for attempting to regrate salt.
American English
- Colonial laws often prohibited individuals from regrating essential goods.
- The speculator was accused of regrating lumber during the shortage.
adverb
British English
- He traded regratingly, always looking for a quick, unfair profit. (Very rare/constructed)
American English
- (No common adverbial form exists.)
adjective
British English
- The regrating merchant was driven from the marketplace.
- Regrating practices were harshly punished.
American English
- He faced charges for his regrating activities.
- The statute targeted regrating behavior specifically.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used in modern business contexts. Historical reference to unfair trade practices.
Academic
Used in economic history, legal history, and medieval studies.
Everyday
Virtually never used.
Technical
A specific term in historical English law (e.g., 'offence of regrating').
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “regrate”
- Using it as a synonym for modern 'retail' (which is neutral).
- Confusing it with 'regret'.
- Using it in a contemporary context where 'scalping' or 'profiteering' would be clearer.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is an archaic term. You will encounter it almost exclusively in historical or legal historical contexts. Modern equivalents include 'profiteer', 'hoard and resell', or 'scalp' (for tickets).
These were related historical market offences. 'Forestalling' meant buying goods before they reached the market. 'Engrossing' meant buying up large quantities of a commodity to control supply. 'Regrating' specifically meant buying goods in a market to resell them in the same or a nearby market at a higher price.
It is not advisable. Using an archaic term will confuse most readers. Use clear, contemporary language like 'market manipulation', 'price gouging', or 'anti-competitive hoarding' instead.
Yes, 'regrater' (the person who does it) and 'regrating' (the activity) are the noun forms, though equally archaic.
To buy up goods, especially food, in order to sell them again at a higher price in the same or a nearby market.
Regrate is usually historical, legal, formal in register.
Regrate: in British English it is pronounced /rɪˈɡreɪt/, and in American English it is pronounced /rɪˈɡreɪt/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None specific to this archaic term.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'RE-GRATE' as 'to buy again to create GRATEfulness (profit) for yourself, while grating on (annoying) everyone else.'
Conceptual Metaphor
MARKET MANIPULATION IS A CRIME / GREED IS A VICE.
Practice
Quiz
What is the closest modern equivalent to the historical crime of 'regrating'?