1 sell
Pronounced:
/ˈsɛl/
Function:
verbInflected forms:
sells; sold /ˈsoʊld/ sell·ing Meaning:
1 : to exchange (something) for money [+ obj] ▪ He sold his car. ▪ He buys and remodels houses and then sells them at a profit. ▪ She sold him a watch for $20. = She sold a watch to him for $20. [no obj] ▪ Stock prices are increasing, so now is a good time to sell. —opposite buy
2 [+ obj] : to make (something) available to be bought ▪ Only a few stores sell that type of equipment. ▪ She sells insurance. [=she has the job of selling insurance to people] ▪ He is selling his car for $1,000. [=he is offering his car for sale at a price of $1,000]
3 [no obj] : to be able to be bought for a particular price —+ for or at ▪ Those cookies sell for a dollar apiece. ▪ All items in the store are selling at half price.
4 a [no obj] : to be bought by someone or by many people ▪ That house still hasn't sold. [=no one has bought that house] ▪ The houses in that neighborhood aren't selling. [=people aren't buying the houses that are for sale in that neighborhood] ▪ They hope the new version will sell better than the old one. [=they hope that more people will buy the new version] ▪ The dictionary is selling well. [=many people are buying copies of the dictionary] ▪ The newest model just didn't sell. [=very few people bought it] b [+ obj] —used to say how many copies of something have been sold ▪ Their first album sold more than a a million copies. [=more than a million copies of the album were bought]
5 : to cause people to want to buy (something) : to cause the sale of (something) [+ obj] ▪ His name on the cover sells the book. [no obj] ▪ Good advertising sells.
6 [+ obj] : to persuade someone to accept or approve of (something or someone) ▪ He had a difficult time selling his theory to other scientists. ▪ You will really have to sell yourself at the interview to get that job.
2 [+ obj] : to make (something) available to be bought ▪ Only a few stores sell that type of equipment. ▪ She sells insurance. [=she has the job of selling insurance to people] ▪ He is selling his car for $1,000. [=he is offering his car for sale at a price of $1,000]
3 [no obj] : to be able to be bought for a particular price —+ for or at ▪ Those cookies sell for a dollar apiece. ▪ All items in the store are selling at half price.
4 a [no obj] : to be bought by someone or by many people ▪ That house still hasn't sold. [=no one has bought that house] ▪ The houses in that neighborhood aren't selling. [=people aren't buying the houses that are for sale in that neighborhood] ▪ They hope the new version will sell better than the old one. [=they hope that more people will buy the new version] ▪ The dictionary is selling well. [=many people are buying copies of the dictionary] ▪ The newest model just didn't sell. [=very few people bought it] b [+ obj] —used to say how many copies of something have been sold ▪ Their first album sold more than a a million copies. [=more than a million copies of the album were bought]
5 : to cause people to want to buy (something) : to cause the sale of (something) [+ obj] ▪ His name on the cover sells the book. [no obj] ▪ Good advertising sells.
6 [+ obj] : to persuade someone to accept or approve of (something or someone) ▪ He had a difficult time selling his theory to other scientists. ▪ You will really have to sell yourself at the interview to get that job.
sell a pup —see pup
sell off [phrasal verb]
sell (something) off or sell off (something) : to sell (something) especially for a low price in order to get rid of it quickly or to get money that you need ▪ He sold off his car so he could move overseas. ▪ The family plans to sell some of the property off. —see also sell-off
sell on [phrasal verb]
sell (someone) on (something) : to persuade (someone) to be interested in and excited about (something) ▪ He tried to sell them on the value of the project he was proposing. —often used as (be) sold on ▪ She wasn't sold on the idea. [=she wasn't convinced that it was a good idea]
sell out [phrasal verb]
1 a : to be bought until no more are available : to be entirely sold ▪ Tickets to the concert sold out quickly. ▪ The book has sold out in stores across the country. b : to sell the entire amount of something ▪ Many stores sold out quickly when the book was first published. ▪ The concert sold out quickly. [=all the tickets to the concert were quickly bought] c be sold out : to have sold the entire amount of something ▪ “Are there any more tickets?” “No, I'm sorry, We're (all) sold out.” [=we've sold all the tickets] —often + of ▪ The store was sold out of milk again. [=there was no milk at the store because it had all been sold] d sell (something) out or sell out (something) : to sell all of (something) ▪ The tickets were (all) sold out quickly. [=all of the tickets were sold quickly]
2 : to sell all that you own of a business, company, etc. ▪ In the end, the other owners forced her to sell out.
3 disapproving : to do something that does not agree with your beliefs, values, etc., especially in order to make money ▪ Many of the band's fans accused them of selling out when they started appearing in television commercials. ▪ The union sees the deal as selling out to management. [=the union sees the deal as going against their principles and favoring management]
4 sell (someone) out or sell out (someone) informal : to do something that harms or causes trouble for (someone who trusted you) in order to get something for yourself : to betray (someone) ▪ She sold out her accomplices [=she told police who her accomplices were] in exchange for a lower sentence. —see also sellout, sold-out
2 : to sell all that you own of a business, company, etc. ▪ In the end, the other owners forced her to sell out.
3 disapproving : to do something that does not agree with your beliefs, values, etc., especially in order to make money ▪ Many of the band's fans accused them of selling out when they started appearing in television commercials. ▪ The union sees the deal as selling out to management. [=the union sees the deal as going against their principles and favoring management]
4 sell (someone) out or sell out (someone) informal : to do something that harms or causes trouble for (someone who trusted you) in order to get something for yourself : to betray (someone) ▪ She sold out her accomplices [=she told police who her accomplices were] in exchange for a lower sentence. —see also sellout, sold-out
sell (someone) down the river
informal : to do something that harms (someone who trusted you) especially in order to get something for yourself : to betray (someone) ▪ I can't believe my best friend would sell me down the river.
sell (someone or something) short
: to put too low a value on the ability, importance, or quality of (someone or something) ▪ Don't sell yourself short. You have some great skills and experience. ▪ I think you're selling the book short; it's a lot more interesting than that.
sell up
[phrasal verb] Brit : to sell your possessions, business, etc., especially so that you can move away ▪ They were forced to sell up and go out of business.
sell your body
: to accept money in exchange for sex
sell your soul (to the devil)
: to gain wealth, success, power, etc., by doing something bad or dishonest ▪ He has sold his soul (to the devil) for fame and prosperity.