sell Hear it!

sell definition

sell (sel)

transitive verb sold, selling sell′·ing

  1. to give up, deliver, or exchange (property, goods, services, etc.) for money or its equivalent
    1. to have or offer regularly for sale; deal in a store that sells hardware, to sell real estate
    2. to make or try to make sales in or to to sell chain stores
    1. to give up or deliver (a person) to his or her enemies or into slavery, bondage, etc.
    2. to be a traitor to; betray (a country, cause, etc.)
  2. to give up or dispose of (one's honor, one's vote, etc.) for profit or a dishonorable purpose
  3. to bring about, help in, or promote, the sale of television sells many products
  4. Informal
    1. to establish faith, confidence, or belief in to sell oneself to the public
    2. to persuade (someone) of the value of something; convince: with on sell him on the idea
  5. Slang to cheat or dupe

Etymology: 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

intransitive verb

  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

noun

  1. Slang a trick or hoax
  2. ☆ selling or salesmanship
sell Idioms

sell off

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

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

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.

sell short

  1. to sell securities, etc. not yet owned
  2. to value at less than its worth; underestimate

sell up

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

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Comments
Improve this definition.
Do you have more to add? Share your linguistic knowledge or observation.
/Register to save your comments.