DEAL (2)

deal (2). Deal, v. dealt, pret. dealt, pa. to distribute, give, divide, trade, treat, contend

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Deal, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Dealt (dĕlt); p. pr. & vb. n. Dealing.] [[OE. delen, AS. dǣlan, fr. dǣl share; akin to OS. dēlian, D. deelen, G. theilen, teilen, Icel. deila, Sw. dela, Dan. dele, Goth. dailjan. See Deal, n.]] 1. 1. To divide; to separate in portions; hence, to give in portions; to distribute; to bestow successively; — sometimes with out.
Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry? Is. lviii. 7. And Rome deals out her blessings and her gold. Tickell. The nightly mallet deals resounding blows. Gay. Hissing through the skies, the feathery deaths were dealt. Dryden. 2. 2. Specifically: To distribute, as cards, to the players at the commencement of a game; as, to deal the cards; to deal one a jack.