Chaffering

September 9, 1819, Washington Irving, letter to Henry Breevort You have put my writings into circulation, and arranged the pecuniary concerns in such a way as to save future trouble and petty chafferings about accounts, and to give the whole an independent and gentlemanlike air.

He had the practised face of a dealer also. But he was a Jew and chaffering was in his blood, and he said, "A bit stiff, isn't it? I mean without a guarantee that it's by the original maker?"

The air was all smell – curry-stuff, durian, fish and flesh – and the noise was of hoicking and chaffering.