To sell in small quantities, as by the single yard, pound, gallon, etc.; to sell directly to the consumer; as, to retail cloth or groceries. [1913 Webster]
To sell at second hand. Pope. [1913 Webster]
To distribute in small portions or at second hand; to tell again or to many (what has been told or done); to report; as, to retail slander. Shak. [1913 Webster]
"He is wit's peddler, and retails his wares
At wakes and wassails." [1913 Webster]

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OXFORD DICTIONARY

retail, n., adj., adv., & v.
--n. the sale of goods in relatively small quantities to the public, and usu. not for resale (cf. WHOLESALE).
--adj. & adv. by retail; at a retail price (do you buy wholesale or retail?).
--v. also 1 tr. sell (goods) in retail trade.
2 intr. (often foll. by at, of) (of goods) be sold in this way (esp. for a specified price) (retails at {pound}4.95).
3 tr. recount; relate details of.

Idiom

retail price index an index of the variation in the prices of retail goods.

Derivative

retailer n.

Etymology

ME f. OF retaille a piece cut off f. retaillier (as RE-, TAIL(2))

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THESAURUS

retail

battologize, be in, bestrew, bill of sale, broadcast, business, carry, circumfuse, close out, commercial, convert into cash, cut under, deal in, deal out, demand, diffract, diffuse, dispense, disperse, dispread, disseminate, distribute, diverge, dump, effect a sale, fan out, fill, give an encore, go over, go through, handle, industrial, issue, iterate, job, make a sale, market, marketing, mass market, mercantile, merchandise, merchandising, merchant, move, outlet, overscatter, oversow, overspread, pad, practice, propagate, publish, radiate, reaffirm, reassert, recapitulate, recite, recount, rehash, rehearse, reissue, reiterate, reprint, resell, restate, resume, retailing, retell, review, reword, run over, sacrifice, sale, sales, say over, say over again, scatter, sell, sell off, sell on consignment, sell out, sell over, sell retail, sell short, sell up, sell wholesale, selling, sow, sow broadcast, splay, spread, spread out, strew, sum up, summarize, tautologize, tie-in, trade, trade in, trading, traffic in, turn into money, turn over, turnover, undercut, undersell, unload, utter, wholesale, wholesaling

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ROGET THESAURUS

retail

Dispersion

VB disperse, scatter, sow, broadcast, disseminate, diffuse, shed, spread, bestrew, overspread, dispense, disband, disembody, dismember, distribute, apportion, blow off, let out, dispel, cast forth, draught off, strew, straw, strow, ted, spirtle, cast, sprinkle, issue, deal out, retail, utter, resperse, intersperse, set abroach, circumfuse, turn adrift, cast adrift, scatter to the winds, spread like wildfire, disperse themselves.

Barter

N barter, exchange, scorse, truck system, interchange, a Roland for an Oliver, quid pro quo, commutation, composition, Indian gift, trade, commerce, mercature, buying and selling, bargain and sale, traffic, business, nundination, custom, shopping, commercial enterprise, speculation, jobbing, stockjobbing, agiotage, brokery, deal, dealing, transaction, negotiation, bargain, free trade, commercial, mercantile, trading, interchangeable, marketable, staple, in the market, for sale, wholesale, retail, across the counter, cambio non e furto.

Sale

VB sell, vend, dispose of, effect a sale, sell over the counter, sell by auction, dispense, retail, deal in, sell off, sell out, turn into money, realize, bring to the hammer, bring under the hammer, put up to auction, put up for auction, offer for sale, put up for sale, hawk, bring to market, offer, undersell, let, mortgage.

Information

VB tell, inform, inform of, acquaint, acquaint with, impart, impart to, make acquaintance with, apprise, advise, enlighten, awaken, transmit, let fall, mention, express, intimate, represent, communicate, make known, publish, notify, signify, specify, convey the knowledge of, let one know, have one to know, give one to understand, give notice, set before, lay before, put before, point out, put into one's head, put one in possession of, instruct, direct the attention to, announce, annunciate, report, report progress, bringword, send word, leave word, write word, telegraph, telephone, wire, retail, render an account, give an account, state, let slip, blurt out, spill the beans, unburden oneself of, let off one's chest, disclose, show cause, explain, hint, given an inkling of, give a hint, drop a hint, throw out a hint, insinuate, allude to, make allusion to, glance at, tip the wink, suggest, prompt, give the cue, breathe, whisper, whisper in the ear, give a bit of one's mind, tell one plainly, tell once for all, speak volumes, undeceive, unbeguile, set right, correct, open the eyes of, disabuse, disillusion one of, be informed of, know, learn, get scent of, get wind of, gather from, awaken to, open one's eyes to, become alive, become awake to, hear, overhear, understand, come to one's ears, come to one's knowledge, reach one's ears.

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