sell

/sel/

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Explanation of the Word "Sell"

Definition: The word "sell" is primarily a verb that means to exchange something for money or to persuade someone to buy something. It can also mean to give up something for a price or to promote an idea.

Examples:

1. Verb: "I want to sell my old bicycle."

   • This means you want to exchange your bicycle for money.

2. Noun: "Getting people to buy the new phone was a hard sell."

   • This means it was challenging to convince people to purchase the new phone.

Advanced Usage:

• Persuasion: "The marketing team had to sell the idea to the investors."

  • Here, "sell" means to convince someone to accept or support an idea, not just a product.

• Betrayal: "He sold out his friends for a profit."

  • This means he betrayed his friends for financial gain.

Word Variants:

• Seller (noun): A person or business that sells something.
  • Example: "The seller of the house was very friendly."
• Sale (noun): The act of selling something or an event where items are sold at reduced prices.
  • Example: "I bought this dress at the sale."
• Sold (past tense of sell): Indicates that something has already been sold.
  • Example: "She sold her car last week."

Different Meanings:

1. Exchange for Money: "He sold his guitar."
2. Persuasion: "They need to sell the product to the customers."
3. Betrayal: "He sold his country to the enemy."

Synonyms:

• Exchange
• Trade
• Market
• Promote
• Persuade

Idioms:

• "Sell like hot cakes": This means something is selling very quickly or is very popular.

  • Example: "The new video game is selling like hot cakes."

• "Sell someone a bill of goods": This means to deceive someone into believing something that is not true.

  • Example: "He sold me a bill of goods about the car's condition."

Phrasal Verbs:

• Sell off: To sell something, especially at a lower price, often quickly or to get rid of it.

  • Example: "They decided to sell off their old stock to make space for new items."

• Sell out: To sell all of something; also means to betray one's principles for personal gain.

Academic

Noun

1. the activity of persuading someone to buy
   • it was a hard sell

Verb

1. deliver to an enemy by treachery
   • Judas sold Jesus
   • The spy betrayed his country
2. be responsible for the sale of
   • All her publicity sold the products
3. be approved of or gain acceptance
   • The new idea sold well in certain circles
4. give up for a price or reward
   • She sold her principles for a successful career
5. do business; offer for sale as for one's livelihood
   • She deals in gold
   • The brothers sell shoes
6. persuade somebody to accept something
   • The French try to sell us their image as great lovers
7. be sold at a certain price or in a certain way
   • These books sell like hot cakes
8. exchange or deliver for money or its equivalent
   • He sold his house in January
   • She sells her body to survive and support her drug habit

Synonyms

• betray
• deal
• trade