See Also: Sell out(finance)
sell(1)(dictionary)
sell(2)(dictionary)
sell(dictionary)
pre-sell(dictionary)
Sell out(money)
sell-off(dictionary)
sell-out(dictionary)
Sell Off(money)
sell(dictionary)

sell (iou)



sell verb. .
[Old English sellan = Old Frisian sella, Old Saxon sellian, Old High German sellen, Old Norse selja give up, sell, Gothic saljan offer sacrifice, from Germanic.]
verb trans. Give; voluntarily hand over (a person or thing) to another; grant (forgiveness etc.). OE-ME.
verb trans. Betray (a person etc.) esp. for money or other reward. OE.
G. J. W. Wolseley There were traitors in the Turkish ranks,..the Turkish Army was more or less sold.
verb trans.
a. Make over or dispose of (a thing) to another in exchange for money etc.; esp. dispose of (merchandise, possessions, etc.) to a buyer for or at a specified price. Also, be a dealer in or keep a regular stock of (a particular commodity) for sale; (of a publication or recording) attain sales of (a specified number of copies). OE.
Bible (AV): Genesis 37:28 They..sold Joseph to the Ishmeelites for twentie pieces of silver. A. S. Neill Stores will sell cheap boots and frozen meat. E. Waugh His novels sold fifteen thousand copies in their first year. E. O'Brien I went to get a stamp to send you a valentine. They didn't sell stamps.
b. Cause an increase in the sale of. E18.
c. Advertise or publish the merits of (an idea, commodity, etc.); persuade (a person) to accept or buy. Also, convince (a person) of the worth of something. colloq. (orig. US). E20.
Publishers Weekly An advertising campaign to sell New York as the printing centre of the world. Guardian To sell..the idea that being a foster mother is a service.
verb intrans.
a. Make over or dispose of a thing to another; esp. dispose of merchandise, possessions, etc., to a buyer at a specified price. ME.
J. Conrad That scoundrel..has been coveting the brig for years. Naturally, I would never sell.
b. Of a commodity: find a purchaser, be purchased, esp. for, at a specified price. E17.
A. Christie The Mystery of the Blue Train..sold just as well as my last book. Times The painting sold anonymously for 660,000.
verb trans.
a. Offer dishonourably for money or other consideration, make a matter of corrupt bargaining. ME.
Shakespeare 2 Henry VI Therefore, when merchant-like I sell revenge, Broke be my sword. W. Cowper When perjury..Sells oaths by tale, and at the lowest price.
b. Give up or part with (a thing) in exchange for another; esp. (with allus. to Genesis 25:29-34) barter away (something of value) for something worthless. ME.
Shelley Whose applause he sells For the gross blessings of a patriot mob.
c. Exact a heavy penalty in return for (an injury). Chiefly with specifying adverbs dear, dearly. ME-M16.
verb trans. Cheat, trick, deceive; disappoint severely. slang. E17.
Thomas Hughes I'll bet..you never see a poacher, and then how sold you will be.
Phrases: sell a bill of goods: see bill of goods s.v. BILL noun3. sell a dummy (to), sell the dummy (to): see DUMMY noun. sell a person a packet: see PACKET noun 1b. sell a person a pup: see PUP noun. sell-by date: marked on the packaging of (esp. perishable) food to indicate the latest recommended date of sale. sell by the candle, sell by inch of candle: see CANDLE noun 1. sell down the river: see RIVER noun1. sell like hot cakes: see hot cake (b) s.v. HOT adjective. sell oneself (a) offer or dispose of one's services for money or other reward, esp. corruptly; be a prostitute; (b) promote one's own abilities. sell one's life dear(ly) arch. do great injury before being killed; make the enemy pay dearly for one's death. sell one's soul to the Devil, sell oneself to the Devil, etc., make a contract with the Devil exchanging possession of one's soul after death for help in attaining a desired end; transf. sacrifice conscience or principle for worldly advantage. sell short: see SHORT adverb. sell the pass: see PASS noun1.
With adverbs & prepositions in specialized senses: sell off verb phr. trans. sell the remainder of (one's stock-in-trade, possessions, etc.) at reduced prices. sell on colloq. (orig. US) make enthusiastic about, convince of the worth of, (freq. in be sold on). sell out (a) verb phr. trans. sell (all or some of one's stock-in-trade, shares in a company, etc.); (b) verb phr. intrans. sell all one's stock-in-trade, shares in a company, etc.; (c) verb phr. intrans. (now only Military History) leave the army by selling one's commission; (d) verb phr. trans. (colloq., orig. US) betray (a person or cause) for money or other reward; (e) verb phr. intrans. (colloq., orig. US) be treacherous or disloyal. sell up (a) verb phr. trans. (now rare or obsolete) sell (one's business, house, etc.); (b) verb phr. intrans. sell one's business, house, etc.; (c) verb phr. trans. sell the goods of (a debtor) for the benefit of a creditor or creditors. sold out colloq. (chiefly US) bankrupt, exhausted, finished.
sellable adjective (a) able to be sold, saleable; (b) rare (of a person) venal: LME.