Market town

Market Mar"ket, n. [Akin to D. markt, OHG. mark[=a]t, merk[=a]t, G. markt; all fr.L. mercatus trade, market place, fr. mercari, p. p. mercatus, to trade, traffic, merx, mercis, ware, merchandise, prob. akin to merere to deserve, gain, acquire: cf. F. march['e]. See {Merit}, and cf. {Merchant}, {Mart}.] 1. A meeting together of people, at a stated time and place, for the purpose of buying and selling (as cattle, provisions, wares, etc.) by private purchase and sale, and not by auction; as, a market is held in the town every week; a farmers' market. [1913 Webster]

He is wit's peddler; and retails his wares At wakes, and wassails, meetings, markets, fairs. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

Three women and a goose make a market. --Old Saying. [1913 Webster]

2. A public place (as an open space in a town) or a large building, where a market is held; a market place or market house; esp., a place where provisions are sold. [1913 Webster]

There is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool. --John v. 2. [1913 Webster]

3. An opportunity for selling or buying anything; demand, as shown by price offered or obtainable; as, to find a market for one's wares; there is no market for woolen cloths in that region; India is a market for English goods; there are none for sale on the market; the best price on the market. [1913 Webster +PJC]

There is a third thing to be considered: how a market can be created for produce, or how production can be limited to the capacities of the market. --J. S. Mill. [1913 Webster]

4. Exchange, or purchase and sale; traffic; as, a dull market; a slow market. [1913 Webster]

5. The price for which a thing is sold in a market; market price. Hence: Value; worth. [1913 Webster]

What is a man If his chief good and market of his time Be but to sleep and feed? --Shak. [1913 Webster]

6. (Eng. Law) The privelege granted to a town of having a public market. [1913 Webster]

7. A specified group of potential buyers, or a region in which goods may be sold; a town, region, or country, where the demand exists; as, the under-30 market; the New Jersey market. [PJC]

Note: Market is often used adjectively, or in forming compounds of obvious meaning; as, market basket, market day, market folk, market house, marketman, market place, market price, market rate, market wagon, market woman, and the like. [1913 Webster]

{Market beater}, a swaggering bully; a noisy braggart. [Obs.] --Chaucer.

{Market bell}, a bell rung to give notice that buying and selling in a market may begin. [Eng.] --Shak.

{Market cross}, a cross set up where a market is held. --Shak.

{Market garden}, a garden in which vegetables are raised for market.

{Market gardening}, the raising of vegetables for market.

{Market place}, an open square or place in a town where markets or public sales are held.

{Market town}, a town that has the privilege of a stated public market. [1913 Webster]