to charge only what market would bear

[Wookie]

Gary Adler, general counsel of the National Association of Ticket Brokers, a trade group representing high-volume ticket resellers, countered that his members operated with a published code of ethics and charged only what the market would bear.

This is from an article in the New York Times and the article is about scalpers scooping up tickets online.

I'd like to know what "bear" means here. Does it mean "the price is acceptable in the market"?

 

[thaitang]

I'd like to know what "bear" means here. Does it mean "the price is acceptable in the market"?

Although it would be correct that bear in this sentence is stating that "the price is acceptable to the market", I would take it a step further (I am probably being biased in my thinking about Ticketmaster and their very unethical business practices of late) and infer that bear in this sentence actually means "that his members operated with a published code of ethics" (read by me to mean that they operated within a fine line of ethical business practices) "and charged only what the market would" cough up.

 

[Wookie]

What other words have the same meaning as "bear"?

 

[thaitang]

What other words have the same meaning as "bear"?

Other words that could be used in place of bear might include tolerate, stomache, put up with, agree to, to name a few. Of course substituting any of these other words or phrases for bear, would also change the overall feel to the meaning of the sentence.

cheers,
tt

 

[mancunienne girl]

I would say "charged only what the punters (clients) would be prepared to pay."