| Noun | 1. | bargaining - the negotiation of the terms of a transaction or agreementplea bargain, plea bargaining - (criminal law) a negotiation in which the defendant agrees to enter a plea of guilty to a lesser charge and the prosecutor agrees to drop a more serious charge; "his admission was part of a plea bargain with the prosecutor"; "plea bargaining helps to stop the courts becoming congested" negotiation, talks, dialogue - a discussion intended to produce an agreement; "the buyout negotiation lasted several days"; "they disagreed but kept an open dialogue"; "talks between Israelis and Palestinians" holdout - a refusal by a negotiator to come to terms in the hope of obtaining a better deal |