Mercantile agency

Mercantile agency
Mercantile Mer"can*tile (?; 277), a. [F. mercantile, It. mercantile, fr. L. mercans, -antis, p. pr. of mercari to traffic. See {Merchant}.] Of or pertaining to merchants, or the business of merchants; having to do with trade, or the buying and selling of commodities; commercial. [1913 Webster]

The expedition of the Argonauts was partly mercantile, partly military. --Arbuthnot. [1913 Webster]

{Mercantile agency}, an agency for procuring information of the standing and credit of merchants in different parts of the country, for the use of dealers who sell to them.

{Mercantile marine}, the persons and vessels employed in commerce, taken collectively.

{Mercantile paper}, the notes or acceptances given by merchants for goods bought, or received on consignment; drafts on merchants for goods sold or consigned. --McElrath. [1913 Webster]

Syn: {Mercantile}, {Commercial}.

Usage: Commercial is the wider term, being sometimes used to embrace mercantile. In their stricter use, commercial relates to the shipping, freighting, forwarding, and other business connected with the commerce of a country (whether external or internal), that is, the exchange of commodities; while mercantile applies to the sale of merchandise and goods when brought to market. As the two employments are to some extent intermingled, the two words are often interchanged. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • mercantile agency — Specialized organization that supplies information on the creditworthiness and financial strength of business firms. The first such agency, the Mercantile Agency, was founded in New York City in 1841. It provided information to businesses that… …   Universalium

  • mercantile agency — noun an organization that provides businesses with credit ratings of other firms Dun & Bradstreet is the largest mercantile agency in the United States • Syn: ↑commercial agency • Hypernyms: ↑agency * * * noun 1. : the ag …   Useful english dictionary

  • mercantile agency — An organization that supplies credit ratings and reports on firms that are prospective customers. Bloomberg Financial Dictionary * * * mercantile agency UK US noun [C] US ► COMMERCE COMMERCIAL AGENCY(Cf. ↑commercial agency) …   Financial and business terms

  • mercantile agency — A person, firm, or corporation, engaged in the business of collecting information relating to the financial standing, credit, character, responsibility, and general reputation of persons, firms, and corporations engaged in business, and… …   Ballentine's law dictionary

  • mercantile agency. — See commercial agency. [1855 60] * * * …   Universalium

  • mercantile agency — /ˌmɜ:kəntaɪl eɪdʒ(ə)nsi/ noun same as credit reference agency …   Dictionary of banking and finance

  • mercantile agency. — See commercial agency. [1855 60] …   Useful english dictionary

  • mercantile agency — commerce bureau …   English contemporary dictionary

  • mercantile agency — /ˈmɜkəntaɪl eɪdʒənsi/ (say merkuhntuyl ayjuhnsee) noun a concern which obtains information concerning the financial standing, business reputation, and credit ratings of individuals, firms and companies for the benefit of its subscribers …  

  • Mercantile — Mer can*tile (?; 277), a. [F. mercantile, It. mercantile, fr. L. mercans, antis, p. pr. of mercari to traffic. See {Merchant}.] Of or pertaining to merchants, or the business of merchants; having to do with trade, or the buying and selling of… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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