sell
vb , sells, selling, sold
1 to dispose of or transfer or be disposed of or transferred to a purchaser in exchange for money or other consideration; put or be on sale
2 to deal in (objects, property, etc.)
he sells used cars for a living
3 tr to give up or surrender for a price or reward
to sell one's honour
4 to promote or facilitate the sale of (objects, property, etc.)
publicity sells many products
5 to induce or gain acceptance of
to sell an idea
6 intr to be in demand on the market
these dresses sell well in the spring
7 tr
Informal to deceive or cheat
8 tr; foll by: on to persuade to accept or approve (of)
to sell a buyer on a purchase
9 ♦
sell down the river
Informal to betray
a to convince someone else of one's potential or worth
b to give up one's moral or spiritual standards, etc.
a Informal to disparage or belittle
b (Finance) to sell securities or goods without owning them in anticipation of buying them before delivery at a lower price
n
12 the act or an instance of selling
Compare →
hard sell →
soft sell
a a trick, hoax, or deception
b (Irish) a great disappointment the service in the hotel was a sell (See also)
→
sell off →
sell out →
sell up (Old English sellan to lend, deliver; related to Old Norse selja to sell, Gothic saljan to offer sacrifice, Old High German sellen to sell, Latin consilium advice) ♦
sellable adj
hard sell
n an aggressive insistent technique of selling or advertising
Compare →
soft sell
sell-by date
n
1 a date printed on the packaging of perishable goods, indicating the date after which the goods should not be offered for sale
2 ♦
past one's sell-by date
Informal beyond one's prime
sell off
vb tr, adv to sell (remaining or unprofitable items), esp. at low prices
sell out
vb adv
1 (Also (chiefly Brit.))
sell up to dispose of (supplies of something) completely by selling
2 tr
Informal to betray, esp. through a secret agreement
3 intr
Informal to abandon one's principles, standards, etc.
his best friends were accusing him of selling out
n
♦
sellout
4 Informal a performance for which all tickets are sold
sell-through
adj
1 (of prerecorded video cassettes) sold without first being available for hire only
n
2 the sale of prerecorded video cassettes in this way
sell up
vb adv (Chiefly Brit)
1 tr to sell all (the possessions or assets) of (a bankrupt debtor) in order to discharge his debts as far as possible
2 intr to sell a business
soft sell
n a method of selling based on indirect suggestion or inducement
Compare →
hard sell