Sell Definition
sĕl
selling, sells, sold
verb
selling, sells, sold
To give up, deliver, or exchange (property, goods, services, etc.) for money or its equivalent.
Webster's New World
To work or act as a salesman or salesclerk.
Webster's New World
To have or offer regularly for sale; deal in.
A store that sells hardware, to sell real estate.
Webster's New World
To make or try to make sales in or to.
To sell chain stores.
Webster's New World
To give up or surrender in exchange for a price or reward.
Sell one's soul to the devil.
American Heritage
Synonyms:
noun
sells
Selling or salesmanship.
Webster's New World
Something that sells or gains acceptance in a particular way.
Their program to raise taxes will be a difficult sell.
American Heritage
A trick or hoax.
Webster's New World
(archaic) A saddle.
Wiktionary
Synonyms:
- salableness
- salability
- marketableness
- marketability
idiom
sell a bill of goods
- To take unfair advantage of.
American Heritage
sell down the river
- To betray the trust or faith of.
American Heritage
sell short
- To contract for the sale of securities or commodities one expects to own at a later date and at more advantageous terms.
- To underestimate the true value or worth of:
Don't sell your colleague short; she's a smart lawyer.
American Heritage
sell off
- to get rid of by selling, esp. at low prices
Webster's New World
sell oneself
- to exchange one's services for a price, esp. for a dishonorable purpose, as for prostitution
- to convince another of one's worth
Webster's New World
Idioms, Phrasal Verbs Related to Sell
- sell a bill of goods
- sell down the river
- sell short
- sell off
- sell oneself
- sell out
- sell short
- sell up
Origin of Sell
-
From Middle English sellen, from Old English sellan (“give"), later "give up for money", from Proto-Germanic *saljanÄ…. Compare Danish sælge, Swedish sälja, Icelandic selja.
From Wiktionary
Middle English sellen from Old English sellan to give, sell
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
-
From French selle, from Latin sella.
From Wiktionary
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