stock-in-trade noun2 •Merchandise and other necessary supplies kept on hand in order to conduct business.[…] Oscar was in the midst of drafting an account of Red Ochre's stock-in-trade for presenting to a man named Burywell who was contemplating taking on the lease […] — 1938 •A technique, skill or ability habitually used by a person, group of persons, or an organization, often in the course of their business.Ideas are the chief stock-in-trade of newspaper writers and generally they are the scarcest stock in market, but they do come occasionally — 1890 formsstocks in trade
