Meaning of exchange In English

• 0 the act of giving something to someone and them giving you something else:

  • an exchange of ideas/information

  • They were given food and shelter in exchange for work.

  • She proposes an exchange of contracts at two o'clock.

  • Several people were killed during the exchange of gunfire.

• 1 a short conversation or argument:

  • There was a brief exchange between the two leaders.

• 2 an arrangement in which students from one country go to stay with students from another country:

  • Are you going on the French exchange this year?

  • a German exchange student

• 3 a stock exchange

• 4 to give something to someone and receive something from that person:

  • It's traditional for the two teams to exchange shirts after the game.

  • Every month the group meets so its members can exchange their views/opinions (= have a discussion).

  • We exchanged greetings before the meeting.

  • We can exchange addresses when we see each other.

  • Exchanging houses (= going to live in someone else's house while they live in yours) for a few weeks is a good way of having a holiday.

  • If you don't like the gift, you can exchange it.

  • I exchanged those trousers for a larger size.

• 5 to change something for something else of a similar value or type:

  • This shirt is too small – can I exchange it for one in a larger size?

  • Before we left the meeting, she and I exchanged phone numbers (= I told her mine and she told me hers).

• 6 the act of giving something to someone and getting something else that is similar:

  • [ C ] an exchange of ideas

  • [ C ] an exchange of prisoners

• 7 a place or organization where shares, currencies, commodities, etc. are bought and sold:

  • Exchanges in France and Germany rose by about 2%.

  • As the demand for a stock rises and falls on the exchange, the price for the stock will fluctuate.

• 8 the process of changing one currency for another:

  • We offer commission-free exchange at our UK ports.

  • exchange of sth Deregulation prevented any barrier to the free exchange of currencies.

• 9 an occasion when you give or return something to someone and they give you something else:

  • If an item is faulty you are guaranteed a refund or an exchange.

  • exchange of sth You may request an exchange of any or all of your shares into another mutual fund in the group.

  • information/knowledge exchange

• 10 an agreement in which two people or groups visit each other's home, place of work, or place of study for a short time in order to learn more about them:

  • on an exchange There will be the opportunity to visit Germany on an exchange.

  • an exchange programme/visit/scheme

• 11 an occasion when one person communicates with another, and the other person replies:

  • There was an angry exchange at the meeting.

  • The e-mail exchange between them was released to the court along with other documents.

• 12 given because of something that has been given to you:

  • There's no doubt that stocks carry risk, and reward you with the chance of higher returns in exchange.

  • The group sold half of its London casino business in exchange for shares.

• 13 to give or return something to someone and receive something from them:

  • They shook hands and exchanged business cards.

  • If the goods are faulty you should be able to exchange them.

  • exchange sth for sth Under these schemes, shareholdings can be exchanged for units in a unit trust.

• 14 to change one currency into another:

  • exchange sth for sth In this way we will save on the costs of exchanging euro for sterling and vice versa.

  • exchange sth into sth Larger hotels will exchange dollars into local currency.

• 15 to communicate with someone who then replies:

  • We exchanged a few words before the meeting began.

  • exchange sth with sb Users can create pages with photos and personal information, and exchange e-mail with other users.

• 16 to sign a legal document with the person you are buying property from as the last part of the process of buying it:

  • When you exchange, you must satisfy yourself that you are happy with the condition of the home you are moving into before you move.

  • We hope to exchange contracts next week.