sell

sell

W1S1 [sel] v past tense and past participle sold [səuld US sould]

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1¦(give something for money)¦

2¦(make something available)¦

3¦(make somebody want something)¦

4¦(be bought)¦

5 sell like hot cakes

6¦(idea/plan)¦

7 sell yourself

8 sell somebody/something short

9 sell your soul (to the devil)

10 sell somebody down the river

11 sell your vote

Phrasal verbs

　sell something<=>off

　sell out

　sell up

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[: Old English; Origin: sellan]

1.) ¦(GIVE SOMETHING FOR MONEY)¦ [I and T]

to give something to someone in exchange for money

≠ ↑buy

▪ If you offer him another hundred, I think he'll sell.

▪ He regrets selling all his old records.

sell sth for £100/$50/30p etc

▪ Toni's selling her car for £700.

sell sb sth

▪ I won't sell you my shares!

sell sth to sb

▪ The vase was sold to a Dutch buyer.

sell sth at a profit/loss

(=make or lose money on a sale)

▪ Tony had to sell the business at a loss.

2.) ¦(MAKE SOMETHING AVAILABLE)¦ [I and T]

to offer something for people to buy

▪ Do you sell cigarettes?

▪ a job selling advertising space

sell at/for £100/$50/30p etc

(=be offered for sale at £100/$50/30p etc)

▪ Smoke alarms sell for as little as five pounds.

3.) ¦(MAKE SOMEBODY WANT SOMETHING)¦ [T]

to make people want to buy something

▪ Scandal sells newspapers.

sell sth to sb

▪ The car's new design will help sell it to consumers.

4.) ¦(BE BOUGHT)¦ [I and T]

to be bought by people

▪ Tickets for the concert just aren't selling.

▪ Her last book sold millions of copies.

▪ All the new houses have been sold.

sell well/badly

(=be bought by a lot of people, or very few people)

▪ Anti-age creams always sell well.

5.) sell like hot cakes

to sell quickly and in large amounts

6.) ¦(IDEA/PLAN)¦ [I and T]

to try to make someone accept a new idea or plan, or to become accepted

▪ It's all right for Washington, but will it sell in small-town America?

sell sth to sb

▪ It's hard for any government to sell new taxes to the electorate.

sell sb sth

▪ managers selling employees the new working hours

be sold on (doing) sth

(=think an idea or plan is very good)

▪ Joe's completely sold on the concept.

7.) sell yourself

a) to make yourself seem impressive to other people

▪ If you want a promotion, you've got to sell yourself better.

b) also sell your body

to have sex with someone for money

8.) sell sb/sth short

to not give someone or something the praise, attention, or reward that they deserve

▪ Don't sell yourself short - tell them about all your qualifications.

9.) sell your soul (to the devil)

to agree to do something bad in exchange for money, power etc

10.) sell sb down the river

to do something that harms a group of people who trusted you, in order to gain money or power for yourself

11.) sell your vote

AmE to take money from someone who wants you to vote for a particular person or plan

sell off [sell sth<=>off] phr v

1.) to sell something, especially for a cheap price, because you need the money or because you want to get rid of it

▪ After the war, we had to sell off part of the farm.

▪ We try to sell off any leftover cakes before we close.

2.) to sell all or part of an industry or company

▪ The Leicestershire company has sold off many of its smaller branches to cut debts.

sell out phr v

1.) if a shop sells out of something, it has no more of that particular thing left to sell

be/have sold out

▪ Sorry, we're sold out.

sell out of

▪ We've completely sold out of those shirts in your size, sir.

2.) if products, tickets for an event etc sell out, they are all sold and there are none left

▪ Wow! Those cakes sold out fast.

be/have sold out

▪ Tonight's performance is completely sold out.

3.) to change your beliefs or principles, especially in order to get more money or some other advantage - used to show disapproval

▪ ex-hippies who've sold out and become respectable businessmen

4.) to sell your business or your share in a business

▪ Wyman says he'll sell out if business doesn't pick up.

sell out to

▪ The T-mail Co. has sold out to San Jose-based DMX Inc for an undisclosed sum.

sell up phr v

to sell most of what you own, especially your house or your business

▪ Liz decided to sell up and move abroad.