split the difference
English
Verb
- In a financial transaction, to settle on an amount midway between the offer and the asking price.
- 1838, Charles Dickens, Oliver Twist, ch. 3:
- "Come!" said Gamfield; "say four pound, gen'lmen. Say four pound, and you've got rid on him for good and all. There!"
- "Three pound ten," repeated Mr. Limbkins, firmly.
- "Come! I'll split the difference, gen'lmen," urged Gamfield. "Three pound fifteen."
- 1916, Ring Lardner, Sr., You Know Me Al, ch. 3:
- My new brother-in-law Allen told me I should ought to give the preist $5 and I thought it should be about $2 the same as the license so I split the difference and give him $3.50.
- 1838, Charles Dickens, Oliver Twist, ch. 3:
- (idiomatic, by extension) To choose an option or take a position roughly midway between two opposed alternatives; to compromise.
- 1875, Anthony Trollope, The Way We Live Now, ch. 28:
- Dolly suggested that they should meet at the club at 4 p.m. Sir Felix had named noon, and promised to call at Dolly's lodgings. They split the difference at last and agreed to start at two.
- 1916, Zane Grey, The Border Legion, ch. 11:
- Gulden appeared at a loss for an instant reply. "I want plenty to do," he replied, presently. "I want to be in on everything. I want to be free to kill a man when I like."
- . . . "Gulden, I'll split the difference between us. I'll leave you free to do as you like. But all the others—every man—must take orders from me."
- 2012 July 8, "New Cars: Embracing Efficiency, Halfheartedly," New York Times (retrieved 15 Nov 2015):
- In terms of both price and efficiency, the Malibu Eco attempts to split the difference between a conventionally powered sedan and all-out efficiency champs like the Toyota Camry and Ford Fusion hybrids.
- 1875, Anthony Trollope, The Way We Live Now, ch. 28:
See also
Translations
in a financial transaction
|
to compromise
|
Further reading
- split the difference at OneLook Dictionary Search
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