sell

sell [sel]

vt.

sold, selling [ME sellen < OE sellan, to give, offer, akin to Goth saljan, to offer (sacrifice): caus. formation in sense “to cause to take” < IE base * sel-, to take, grasp > SALE, Gr helein, to take]

1. to give up, deliver, or exchange (property, goods, services, etc.) for money or its equivalent

2.

a) to have or offer regularly for sale; deal in [a store that sells hardware, to sell real estate]

b) to make or try to make sales in or to [to sell chain stores]

3.

a) to give up or deliver (a person) to his or her enemies or into slavery, bondage, etc.

b) to be a traitor to; betray (a country, cause, etc.)

4. to give up or dispose of (one's honor, one's vote, etc.) for profit or a dishonorable purpose

5. to bring about, help in, or promote, the sale of [television sells many products ]

☆ 6. Informal

a) to establish faith, confidence, or belief in [to sell oneself to the public]

b) to persuade (someone) of the value of something; convince: with on [sell him on the idea]

7. Slang to cheat or dupe

vi.

1. to exchange property, goods, or services for money, etc.

2. to work or act as a salesman or salesclerk

3. to be sold; attract buyers: often used with reference to the rate of sale [to sell well, poorly, etc.]

4. to be sold (for or at) [belts selling for six dollars]

5. Informal to be accepted, approved, etc. [a scheme that won't sell]

n.

1. Slang a trick or hoax

☆ 2. selling or salesmanship: cf. HARD SELL, SOFT SELL

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sell off

to get rid of by selling, esp. at low prices

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sell oneself

1. to exchange one's services for a price, esp. for a dishonorable purpose, as for prostitution

☆ 2. Informal to convince another of one's worth

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sell out

1. to get rid of completely by selling

☆ 2. Informal to betray (one's associates, cause, country, etc.)

☆ 3. Informal to give up or be unfaithful to one's artistic aspirations or moral principles so as to achieve success, financial gain, etc.

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☆ sell short

1. to sell securities, etc. not yet owned: see SHORT SALE

2. to value at less than its worth; underestimate

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sell up Brit.

to sell all of (the land or household goods) of (a debtor) so as to satisfy his or her debts

SYN.- SELL implies a transferring of the ownership of something to another for money [to sell books, a house, etc. ]; BARTER implies an exchange of goods or services without using money [to barter food for clothes ]; TRADE, in transitive use, also implies the exchange of articles [let's trade neckties ], and, intransitively, implies the carrying on of a business in which one buys and sells a specified commodity [to trade in wheat ]; AUCTION implies the public sale of items one by one, each going to the highest of the competing bidders [to auction off unclaimed property ]; VEND applies especially to the selling of small articles, as by peddling, slot machine, etc. [vending machines ] -ANT. BUY