Sell (?), n.
Self.
[Obs. or Scot.]
B. Jonson.
© Webster 1913.
Sell, n.
A sill.
[Obs.]
Chaucer.
© Webster 1913.
Sell, n.
A cell; a house.
[Obs.]
Chaucer.
© Webster 1913.
Sell, n. [F. selle, L. sella, akin to sedere to sit. See Sit.]
1.
A saddle for a horse.
[Obs.]
He left his lofty steed with golden self.
Spenser.
2.
A throne or lofty seat.
[Obs.]
Fairfax.
© Webster 1913.
Sell, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Sold (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Selling.] [OE. sellen, sillen, AS. sellan, syllan, to give, to deliver; akin to OS. sellian, OFries. sella, OHG. sellen, Icel. selja to hand over, to sell, Sw. salja to sell, Dan. slge, Goth. saljan to offer a sacrifice; all from a noun akin to E. sale. Cf. Sale.]
1.
To transfer to another for an equivalent; to give up for a valuable consideration; to dispose of in return for something, especially for money.
If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor.
Matt. xix. 21.
I am changed; I'll go sell all my land.
Shak.
⇒ Sell is corellative to buy, as one party buys what the other sells. It is distinguished usually 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.
2.
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.
3.
To impose upon; to trick; to deceive; to make a fool of; to cheat.
[Slang]
Dickens.
To sell one's life dearly, to cause much loss to those who take one's life, as by killing a number of one's assailants. -- To sell (anything) out, to dispose of it wholly or entirely; as, he had sold out his corn, or his interest in a business.
© Webster 1913.
Sell, v. i.
1.
To practice selling commodities.
I will buy with you, sell with you; . . . but I will not eat with you.
Shak.
2.
To be sold; as, corn sells at a good price.
To sell out, to sell one's whole stock in trade or one's entire interest in a property or a business.
© Webster 1913.
Sell, n.
An imposition; a cheat; a hoax.
[Colloq.]
© Webster 1913.