1an act of giving one thing and receiving another (especially of the same kind) in return:negotiations should lead to an exchange of land for peace [mass noun]:opportunities for the exchange of information
a visit or visits in which two people or groups from different countries stay with each other or do each other’s jobs: [as modifier]:an exchange visit to Germany
2 [mass noun] the changing of money to its equivalent in the currency of another country:they provided me with currency exchange at competitive rates
[count noun] a system or market in which commercial transactions involving currency, shares, etc. can be carried out within or between countries.
[count noun] a building or institution used for the trading of a particular commodity or commodities:the old Corn Exchange
3a short conversation or an argument:there was a heated exchange
5 Chess a move or short sequence of moves in which both players capture material of comparable value, or particularly (the exchange) in which one captures a rook in return for a knight or bishop.
verb
[with object]
give something and receive something of the same kind in return:we exchanged addresseshe exchanged a concerned glance with Stephen
give or receive one thing in place of another:we regret that tickets cannot be exchangedhe exchanges his cigarette ends for food
[no object] exchange contracts.
Phrases
exchange contracts
British (of a buyer) sign a legal contract with the vendor of a property or piece of land, making the purchase legally binding and enforceable.
in exchange
as a thing exchanged:he carried bags of groceries in exchange for a nickel
late Middle English: from Old French eschange (noun), eschangier (verb), based on changer(see change). The spelling was influenced by Latin ex- 'out, utterly' (see ex-1)
exchange in other Oxford dictionaries
Definition of exchange in the US English dictionary
