I. ˈsel verb
( sold ˈsōld ; sell·ing )
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English sellan; akin to Old High German sellen to sell, Greek helein to take
Date: before 12th century
transitive verb
1. : to deliver or give up in violation of duty, trust, or loyalty and especially for personal gain : betray — often used with out
sell out their country
2.
a.
(1) : to give up (property) to another for something of value (as money)
(2) : to offer for sale
b. : to give up in return for something else especially foolishly or dishonorably
sold his birthright for a mess of pottage
c. : to exact a price for
sold their lives dearly
3.
a. : to deliver into slavery for money
b. : to give into the power of another
sold his soul to the devil
c. : to deliver the personal services of for money
4. : to dispose of or manage for profit instead of in accordance with conscience, justice, or duty
sold their votes
5.
a. : to develop a belief in the truth, value, or desirability of : gain acceptance for
trying to sell a program to the Congress
b. : to persuade or influence to a course of action or to the acceptance of something
sell children on reading
6. : to impose on : cheat
7.
a. : to cause or promote the sale of
using television advertising to sell cereal
b. : to make or attempt to make sales to
c. : to influence or induce to make a purchase
8. : to achieve a sale of
sold a million copies
intransitive verb
1. : to dispose of something by sale
thinks now is a good time to sell
2. : to achieve a sale ; also : to achieve satisfactory sales
hoped that the new line would sell
3. : to have a specified price
• sell·able ˈse-lə-bəl adjective
•
- sell down the river
- sell short
II. noun
Date: 1838
1. : a deliberate deception : hoax
2. : the act or an instance of selling
3. : something to be sold or caused to be accepted
the new mystery novel was an easy sell
also : someone to whom something is sold
the new purchasing agent was a tough sell
III. noun
or selle ˈsel
Etymology: Middle English selle, from Anglo-French sele, from Latin sella — more at settle
Date: 15th century
archaic : saddle
IV.
chiefly Scottish variant of self