price / prīs/ • n. the amount of money expected, required, or given in payment for something: land could be sold for a high price | a wide selection of tools varying in price. ∎ fig. an unwelcome experience, event, or action involved as a condition of achieving a desired end: the price of their success was an entire day spent in discussion. ∎  the odds in betting. ∎ archaic value; worth: a pearl of great price.• v. [tr.] (often be priced) decide the amount required as payment for (something offered for sale): the watches in this range are priced at $14.50.PHRASES: at any price no matter what expense, sacrifice, or difficulty is involved: they wanted peace at any price.at a price requiring great expense or involving unwelcome consequences: his generosity comes at a price.beyond (or without) price so valuable that no price can be stated.a price on someone's head a reward offered for someone's capture or death.price oneself out of the market become unable to compete commercially.put a price on determine the value of: you can't put a price on what she has to offer.what price ——? used to ask what has become of something or to suggest that something has or would become worthless: what price justice if he were allowed to go free?

PRICE

Price is the monetary value of a good or service for sale. There are several different kinds of price. Those with the most dominant roles in the marketplace include market price and equilibrium price. Both are tied to the laws of supply and demand.

The market price is the price consumers pay for goods or services in the marketplace. The equilibrium price is an economic ideal. It is the point where the supply of goods is matched equally by consumer demand. For example, if there are more bicycles on the market than there are consumers to buy them, it will create a surplus on the market and the market price of bicycles will go down. If there are more people wanting to buy bicycles than there are bicycles available for purchase, the market price will go up because of the higher demand. When the number of bicycles produced equals the demand from consumers, that is the equilibrium price.

Market price is thus affected by consumer demand and the production rates and availability of a good or service. Ideally, the market price will not be far off from the equilibrium price. Prices for goods or services are subject to change according to consumer demand and producer supply. Price can not be permanently set in a free market system where supply and demand are constantly changing.

See also: Money, Supply and Demand

price money, etc. paid for something; † value, worth; † honour, praise; † pre-eminence, superiority; † reward, prize. XIII. ME. pris — OF. pris (mod. prix):— L. pretium price, value, wages, reward. See PRAISE, PRIZE3, which superseded this word in some of its meanings; but prize vb. ‘assign a price to’ was repl. by price XV.

price a price on someone's head a reward offered for someone's capture or death.
price oneself out of the market become unable to compete commercially.

See also cheap at the price, every man has his price.