sell up
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Verb (phrasal verb): - To sell all of one's property, possessions, or merchandise, typically in order to move, retire, or close a business.
Usage
This phrasal verb is used to describe the complete liquidation of assets. It often implies a significant, final decision, such as leaving a place or ending a business venture. It is commonly used in business and personal finance contexts.
Examples
- After thirty years, the shop owner decided to sell up and retire to the coast.
- The company was forced to sell up to pay its enormous debts.
- They sold their house and sold up most of their furniture before moving abroad.
Advanced Usage
- "to sell up and move on": This common collocation emphasizes the act of selling everything as a precursor to starting anew elsewhere.
- After the factory closed, many families had to sell up and move on to find work.
Variants and Related Words
- Sell-off (noun): The sale of a large number of assets, especially stocks, or the act of selling a business.
- The sell-off of the company's foreign divisions took over a year.
- Liquidate (verb): To convert assets into cash; to sell off a business's assets, often to pay debts. This is a more formal synonym.
- The court ordered the business to liquidate its remaining inventory.
Synonyms
- Liquidate: To wind up the affairs of a business by ascertaining liabilities and apportioning assets.
- Dispose of: To get rid of something by selling it.
Related Phrasal Verbs
- Sell out (of something): To sell all of a particular item so that no more is available.
- The concert tickets sold out in minutes. (Note: "Sell out" focuses on a specific product being gone, while "sell up" focuses on the seller liquidating all assets.)
Related Idioms
- Cash in one's chips: (Idiomatic) To sell one's assets, especially to retire; to withdraw from an activity. This idiom originates from gambling.
- After a long career on Wall Street, he finally cashed in his chips and bought a vineyard.
Verb
- get rid of all one's merchandise