sell 1
— sellable , adj.
/sel/ , v. , sold, selling , n.
v.t.
1. to transfer (goods) to or render (services) for another in exchange for money; dispose of to a purchaser for a price: He sold the car to me for $1000.
2. to deal in; keep or offer for sale: He sells insurance. This store sells my favorite brand.
3. to make a sale or offer for sale to: He'll sell me the car for $1000.
4. to persuade or induce (someone) to buy something: The salesman sold me on a more expensive model than I wanted.
5. to persuade or induce someone to buy (something): The clerk really sold the shoes to me by flattery.
6. to make sales of: The hot record sold a million copies this month.
7. to cause to be accepted, esp. generally or widely: to sell an idea to the public.
8. to cause or persuade to accept; convince: to sell the voters on a candidate.
9. to accept a price for or make a profit of (something not a proper object for such action): to sell one's soul for political power.
10. to force or exact a price for: The defenders of the fort sold their lives dearly.
11. Informal. to cheat, betray, or hoax.
v.i.
12. to engage in selling something.
13. to be on sale.
14. to offer something for sale: I like this house - will they sell?
15. to be employed to persuade or induce others to buy, as a salesperson or a clerk in a store: One sister is a cashier and the other sells.
16. to have a specific price; be offered for sale at the price indicated (fol. by at or for ): Eggs used to sell at sixty cents a dozen. This shirt sells for thirty dollars.
17. to be in demand by buyers: On a rainy day, umbrellas really sell.
18. to win acceptance, approval, or adoption: Here's an idea that'll sell.
19. sell off , to sell, esp. at reduced prices, in order to get rid of: The city is selling off a large number of small lots at public auction.
20. sell out ,
a. to dispose of entirely by selling.
b. to betray (an associate, one's country, a cause, etc.); turn traitor: He committed suicide rather than sell out to the enemy.
21. sell short . See short (def. 33).
22. sell ( someone ) a bill of goods . See bill of goods (def. 3).
23. sell up , Brit. to sell out: She was forced to sell up her entire stock of crystal.
n.
24. an act or method of selling.
25. Stock Exchange. a security to be sold.
26. Informal. a cheat; hoax.
[ bef. 900; ME sellen (v.), OE sellan orig., to give, hence, give up (someone) to an enemy, betray, exchange for money; c. ON selja, LG sellen, Goth saljan to give up, sell, orig., to cause to take; akin to Gk heleîn to take ]
Syn. 1. exchange, vend. See trade .
Ant. 1. buy.
sell 2
/sel/ , n., adj., pron. Scot.
self.