SELL • E-FREE TRANSLATION.COM • Definition of Sell

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/sɛl/ Listen

verb

Sell v. t. (past & past part. sold; pres. part. selling)

To transfer to another for an equivalent; to give up for a valuable consideration; to dispose of in return for something, especially for money. It is the correlative of buy. "If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor." "I am changed; I'll go sell all my land." Note: Sell is corellative to buy, as one party buys what the other sells. It is distinguished usually from exchange or barter, in which one commodity is given for another; whereas in selling the consideration is usually money, or its representative in current notes.

To make a matter of bargain and sale of; to accept a price or reward for, as for a breach of duty, trust, or the like; to betray. "You would have sold your king to slaughter."

To impose upon; to trick; to deceive; to make a fool of; to cheat. (Slang)

To sell one's life dearly, to cause much loss to those who take one's life, as by killing a number of one's assailants.

To sell (anything) out, to dispose of it wholly or entirely; as, he had sold out his corn, or his interest in a business.

Sell v. i. (past & past part. sold; pres. part. selling)

To practice selling commodities. "I will buy with you, sell with you;... but I will not eat with you."

To be sold; as, corn sells at a good price.

To sell out, to sell one's whole stock in trade or one's entire interest in a property or a business.

noun

Sell n. Self. (Obs. or Scot.)

Sell n. A sill. (Obs.)

Sell n. A cell; a house. (Obs.)

Sell n.

A saddle for a horse. (Obs.) "He left his lofty steed with golden self."

A throne or lofty seat. (Obs.)

Sell n. An imposition; a cheat; a hoax. (Colloq.)

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Etymology of 'Sell'

Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48

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"Sell" Quotes from Famous Books

... public demonstration of dispositions favourable to England, means were taken to furnish aids of ammunition and arms, and to facilitate the negotiation of loans to the United States; and the owners of American privateers, though forbidden to sell their prizes, or to procure their condemnation, found means to dispose of ...

— The Life of George Washington, Vol. 2 (of 5) • John Marshall

... I'll sell my loyalty for a mess of pottage! No, I'm for a well-regulated monarchy: hurrah ...

— The Island Home • Richard Archer

... have quite enough weapons and instruments of carnage. I want a small figure,—something which will suit me as a paper-weight, for I cannot endure those trumpery bronzes which the stationers sell, and which may be found on ...

— The Mummy's Foot • Theophile Gautier

... turn into money, they generally consider in what way they can get the most for them. Nuts which grow in the woods and fields are a very uncertain crop, of which every one seems to gather more than the owner, and it is therefore more profitable for him to cut his trees down and sell them for their wood, which the people in the cities and towns are so ...

— Among the Trees at Elmridge • Ella Rodman Church

... the mere picture!" cried the old fellow in astonishment. "Why, I'd sell you the old cow itself ...

— The Idler Magazine, Volume III, June 1893 - An Illustrated Monthly • Various

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