Sell

n. [Fr. selle, Pr., Pg., & It. sella, Sp. silla, Lat. sella, for sedula, from sedes, a seat, from sedere, to sit.] 1. A saddle for a horse. [Obs.] He left his lofty steed with golden sell. Spenser. 2. A throne or lofty seat.

v. t. [imp. & p. p. SOLD; p. pr. & vb. n. SELLING.] [A-S. sellan, syllan, to give, to sell; O. Sax. sellian, Goth. saljan, O. H. Ger. saljan, seljan, O. Fries. sella, Icel. selia, Sw. sälja, Dan. sælge.]

1Sense 1. To transfer to another for an equivalent; to give up for a consideration; to dispose of in return for something, especially for money; to exchange; to barter.

I am changed. I'll sell all my land. Shak.

Sell is correlative to buy, as one party buys what the other sells. It is distinguished from exchange or barter, in which one commodity is given for another; whereas in selling the consideration is usually money, or its representative in current notes.

2Sense 2. Hence, to make a matter of bargain and sale of; to accept a price or reward for, as for a breach of duty, trust, or the like; to betray.

You would have sold your king to slaughter. Shak.

3Sense 3. To impose upon or betray; to trick; to make a fool of; to cheat; as, he found himself sold. [Colloq.] Dickens.

To sell one's life dearly, to exact full restitution for the loss of life; to cause great loss to those who take one's life.

v. i. 1. To have commerce; to practice selling. 2. To be sold; as, corn sells at a good price.

n. An imposition or trick, as in a case where confidence has been reposed, or expectation excited. [Collog.]