Difference between "deal with" and "deal"

Question

Please look at the following sentences.

[1]Therefore, the first solution was not to decrease interest rates, but rather how to help enterprises deal with the stockpiles.
[2] The regulation would deal a death blow to the sector

What is the difference between "deal with" and "deal"? I think they are the same in meanings.

Thank you for your answer in advance.

KrisBlueNZ · Accepted Answer

No, they are quite different.

Look at definitions 2 and 12 on http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/deal

Deal with means to take some action, generally to solve a problem or make some kind of progress. In this case, the problem seems to have been stockpiles, and enterprises (businesses, companies) needed help to deal with them. This might have involved splitting up the stockpiles, selling them at a reduced rate, or something like that I guess. Deal with is an idiomatic usage of deal with the meaning of handle.

Dealing a blow (or a death blow) just means to deliver a blow, i.e. to hit something; in the case of a death blow, to fatally hit something. In the literal case, the blow might be delivered with a fist (a punch) or a blunt instrument such as a bit of wood. In the metaphorical case, it doesn't matter; the idea is that whatever receives the blow (in this case, the sector) is badly injured or killed by it.

Son James · Answer

Wow! Thank you so much for your kind explanation,Mr.KrisBlueNZ<img class='emoticon' style='Width:19px;Height:19px;' data-delaysrc='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/10.gif' src='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/10.gif' alt='Emotion: embarrassed'/>

Difference between "deal with" and "deal"

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