n. [ OE. del, deel, part, AS. d&aemacr_;l; akin to OS. dēl, D. & Dan. deel, G. theil, teil, Icel. deild, Sw. del, Goth. dails. √65. Cf. 3d Dole. ] 1. A part or portion; a share; hence, an indefinite quantity, degree, or extent, degree, or extent; as, a deal of time and trouble; a deal of cold. [ 1913 Webster ]

Three tenth deals [ parts of an ephah ] of flour. Num. xv. 9. [ 1913 Webster ]

As an object of science it [ the Celtic genius ] may count for a good deal . . . as a spiritual power. M. Arnold. [ 1913 Webster ]

She was resolved to be a good deal more circumspect. W. Black. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The process of dealing cards to the players; also, the portion disturbed. [ 1913 Webster ]

The deal, the shuffle, and the cut. Swift. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Distribution; apportionment. [ Colloq. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

4. An arrangement to attain a desired result by a combination of interested parties; -- applied to stock speculations and political bargains. [ Slang ] [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Whole deal is a general term for planking one and one half inches thick. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. Wood of the pine or fir; as, a floor of deal. [ 1913 Webster ]

Deal tree, a fir tree. Dr. Prior. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. 1. To make distribution; to share out in portions, as cards to the players. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

They buy and sell, they deal and traffic. South. [ 1913 Webster ]

This is to drive to wholesale trade, when all other petty merchants deal but for parcels. Dr. H. More. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To act as an intermediary in business or any affairs; to manage; to make arrangements; -- followed by between or with. [ 1913 Webster ]

Sometimes he that deals between man and man, raiseth his own credit with both, by pretending greater interest than he hath in either. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. To conduct one's self; to behave or act in any affair or towards any one; to treat. [ 1913 Webster ]

If he will deal clearly and impartially, . . . he will acknowledge all this to be true. Tillotson. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. To contend (with); to treat (with), by way of opposition, check, or correction; as, he has turbulent passions to deal with. [ 1913 Webster ]

To deal by, to treat, either well or ill; as, to deal well by servants. “Such an one deals not fairly by his own mind.” Locke. --
To deal in. (a) To have to do with; to be engaged in; to practice; as, they deal in political matters. (b) To buy and sell; to furnish, as a retailer or wholesaler; as, they deal in fish. --
To deal with. (a) To treat in any manner; to use, whether well or ill; to have to do with; specifically, to trade with. “Dealing with witches.” Shak. (b) To reprove solemnly; to expostulate with. [ 1913 Webster ]

The deacons of his church, who, to use their own phrase, “dealt with him” on the sin of rejecting the aid which Providence so manifestly held out. Hawthorne. [ 1913 Webster ]

Return . . . and I will deal well with thee. Gen. xxxii. 9. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Dealt p. pr. & vb. n. Dealing. ] [ OE. delen, AS. d&aemacr_;lan, fr. d&aemacr_;l share; akin to OS. dēlian, 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry? Is. lviii. 7. [ 1913 Webster ]

And Rome deals out her blessings and her gold. Tickell. [ 1913 Webster ]

The nightly mallet deals resounding blows. Gay. [ 1913 Webster ]

Hissing through the skies, the feathery deaths were dealt. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ L. dealbatus, p. p. of dealbare. See Daub. ] To whiten. [ Obs. ] Cockeram. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. dealbatio: cf. F. déalbation. ] Act of bleaching; a whitening. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. One who deals; one who has to do, or has concern, with others; esp., a trader, a trafficker, a shopkeeper, a broker, or a merchant; as, a dealer in dry goods; a dealer in stocks; a retail dealer. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. One who distributes cards to the players. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ From deal a long, narrow plank. ] (Zool.) A long, thin fish of the arctic seas (Trachypterus arcticus). [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The act of one who deals; distribution of anything, as of cards to the players; method of business; traffic; intercourse; transaction; as, to have dealings with a person. [ 1913 Webster ]

Double dealing, insincere, treacherous dealing; duplicity. --
Plain dealing, fair, sincere, honorable dealing; honest, outspoken expression of opinion. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Share dealt. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]