n. (Formerly accented on the second syllable.) [ F. commerce, L. commercium; com- + merx, mercis, merchandise. See Merchant. ]
The public becomes powerful in proportion to the opulence and extensive commerce of private men. Hume. [ 1913 Webster ]
Fifteen years of thought, observation, and commerce with the world had made him [ Bunyan ] wiser. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]
Chamber of commerce.
v. i.
Beware you commerce not with bankrupts. B. Jonson. [ 1913 Webster ]
Commercing with himself. Tennyson. [ 1913 Webster ]
Musicians . . . taught the people in angelic harmonies to commerce with heaven. Prof. Wilson. [ 1913 Webster ]
. (Nav.) A very fast, unarmored, lightly armed vessel designed to capture or destroy merchant vessels of an enemy. Not being intended to fight, they may be improvised from fast passenger steamers. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]