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sell out

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sell out (to someone)

 

1. to sell everything, such as all one's property or one's company, to someone. The farmer finally gave up and sold out to a large corporation. I refuse to sell out no matter what they offer me.

2. to betray someone or something to someone. I think that you have sold out to the enemy!

See also: out, sell

sell out (to someone)

 

1. to sell everything, such as all one's property or one's company, to someone. The farmer finally gave up and sold out to a large corporation. I refuse to sell out no matter what they offer me.

2. to betray someone or something to someone. I think that you have sold out to the enemy!

See also: out, sell

sell someone out

 and sell someone down the river

to betray someone; to reveal damaging information about someone. Bill told everything he knew about Bob, and that sold Bob down the river. You'll be sorry if you sell me out. Lefty sold out his friends, and we'll all soon be arrested.

See also: out, sell

sell something out

to sell all of something. Have they sold their supply out yet? The stores sold out their stocks of that game long before Christmas.

See also: out, sell

sell out

to accept money to stop following your principles So many musicians simply sell out to the demands of the industry and abandon their art.

See also: out, sell

sell out somebody/something

also sell somebody/something out

to stop being loyal to someone or something He accused Congress of selling out the American people to lawyers who opposed the bill. I could sell you all out and go straight to the police with this information.

Usage notes: often money is the advantage that is gotten: Anyone who would sell out his own country for money deserves to go to prison for life.

Related vocabulary: sell somebody down the river

See also: out, sell

sell out (of something)

to sell all of something, so that there is none left We sold out of the souvenir T-shirts in the first couple of hours. During the summer the campgrounds are sold out each night. Her cruises regularly book up months in advance and almost always sell out.

See also: out, sell

sell out

1. Dispose of entirely by selling. For example, The rancher finally sold out to the oil company, or The tickets to the concert were sold out a month ago. [Late 1700s]

2. Betray one's cause or colleagues, as in He sold out to the other side. [Slang; late 1800s]

See also: out, sell

sell out

v.

1. To be sold completely: The tickets will sell out by tomorrow.

2. To sell one's entire supply of a particular item: I'm afraid we sold out all our ice cream, kids! The hardware store sold out of plywood as the hurricane moved closer to shore.

3. To cause some supply of merchandise to be sold completely. Used in the passive: We can't get into the theater because the tickets are sold out.

4. To cause some vendor to sell its entire supply of something. Used in the passive: I wanted to buy more spoons, but the store was sold out.

5. To sell one's entire stake in a business or venture: The owners of the liquor store plan to sell out as soon as they can find a buyer.

6. To betray one's cause or colleagues, especially for money: The disloyal baseball player sold out to another team.

7. To betray someone or something, especially for money: The manager sold out his staff in order to keep his own job. Our agent sold us out when she moved to a better company and dropped us as a client.

See also: out, sell