stock-in-trade ˌstock-in-ˈtrade noun [uncountable]
1. also trading stock ACCOUNTING all the goods that a company has to sell, as well as the raw materials that it uses to produce these:
• When you start up a business, you need sufficient funds to purchase your stock-in-trade.
2. words or behaviour that are typical of someone:
• politicians whose stock-in-trade is economic populism
3. COMMERCE a business's normal activity:
• After he finished his apprenticeship, kitchens became a part of his stock-in-trade.
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stock-in-trade UK US noun [U]
► (also trading stock) ACCOUNTING, FINANCE goods, such as parts, materials, and other assets, that a company or person owns: »
Land is both stock-in-trade and a financial liability.
»This list of contacts is your stock-in-trade.
► the normal business of a person or company: »
Stories about scams are the stock-in-trade of political reporters.
»This company's stock-in-trade is buying houses in poor shape, fixing them up, and reselling them.
► someone's usual behaviour or characteristics: »
His stock-in-trade was a volcanic anger.
Financial and business terms. 2012.