sell out
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Verb:
- To sell all of one's available stock of a particular item: To dispose of the entire inventory of a product, leaving none available for purchase.
- To betray one's principles or associates for personal gain, especially for money: To compromise one's integrity, ideals, or loyalties, often for financial benefit or popularity.
Usage Examples
Verb (To sell all stock):
- The concert tickets sold out in under an hour.
- We can't get that book; the store sold out yesterday.
Verb (To betray principles):
- Many fans accused the band of selling out when they signed with a major corporation.
- He sold out his colleagues to get the promotion.
Advanced Usage
"to be sold out": Describes a state where all tickets or items have been purchased.
- I'm sorry, the show is completely sold out.
"a sellout" (noun): A person who betrays a cause or principle for personal gain; also, an event for which all tickets have been sold.
- He was called a sellout for endorsing the product.
- The game was a total sellout.
Variants and Related Words
- Sellout (n): The act or an instance of selling out, in either sense.
- The artist's commercial deal was seen as a major sellout.
Synonyms
- Dispose of: To get rid of by selling (for the inventory sense).
- Betray: To be disloyal to (for the principle sense).
Related Phrases (Phrasal Verbs)
- Sell off: To sell something, especially quickly or at a low price. (Note: This is a distinct phrasal verb).
- The company decided to sell off its old equipment.
Related Idioms
- Sell one's soul: To compromise one's principles for a great reward (stronger connotation than "sell out").
- He sold his soul for fame and fortune.
Verb
- give information that compromises others
- get rid of all one's merchandise