Dictionary
sell
Pronunciation: (sel), [key]
—v., sold, sell•ing,
—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.
1. to engage in selling something.
2. to be on sale.
3. to offer something for sale:
I like this house —
will they sell?
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. to be in demand by buyers:
On a rainy day, umbrellas really sell.
7. to win acceptance, approval, or adoption:
Here's an idea that'll sell.
8. 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.
9. 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.
10. sell short. See
short (def. 33).
11. sell (someone) a bill of goods. See
bill of goods (def. 3).
12. sell up, Brit.to sell out:
She was forced to sell up her entire stock of crystal.
—
n.
1. an act or method of selling.
2. Stock Exchange.a security to be sold.
3. Informal.a cheat; hoax.
sell
Pronunciation: (sel), [key]—
n., adj., pron. Scot.
self.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
