sell short
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sell
(sĕl)v. sold (sōld), sell·ing, sells
v.tr.
1. To exchange or deliver for money or its equivalent: We sold our old car for a modest sum.
2. To offer or have available for sale: The store sells health foods.
3. To give up or surrender in exchange for a price or reward: sell one's soul to the devil.
4. To be purchased in (a certain quantity); achieve sales of: a book that sold a million copies.
5.
a. To bring about or encourage sales of; promote: Good publicity sold the product.
b. To cause to be accepted; advocate successfully: We sold the proposal to the school committee.
6. To persuade (another) to recognize the worth or desirability of something: They sold me on the idea.
v.intr.
1. To exchange ownership for money or its equivalent; engage in selling: Are any of the fruit vendors still selling?
2. To be sold or be on sale: Grapes are selling high this season.
3. To attract prospective buyers; be popular on the market: an item that doesn't sell.
4. To be approved of; gain acceptance: an idea that just wouldn't sell.
n.
Phrasal Verbs: 1. An act or instance of selling: ordered a sell of his shares in the company.
2. Something that sells or gains acceptance in a particular way: Their program to raise taxes will be a difficult sell.
3. Slang A deception; a hoax.
sell off
To get rid of by selling, often at reduced prices.
sell out
1. To sell all of a supply of something: We have sold out of that model.
2. To cause (someone) to have sold an entire supply of something: The bakery is sold out of those pastries.
3. To be entirely sold: Her new novel has sold out.
4. Slang To betray one's principles or colleagues: He sold out to the other side.
sell through
Idioms: To be purchased as a retail item by a customer: The clothes are in the store, but they aren't selling through.
sell a bill of goods Informal
To take unfair advantage of.
sell down the river Informal
To betray the trust or faith of.
sell short
1. To contract for the sale of securities or commodities one expects to own at a later date and at more advantageous terms.
2. To underestimate the true value or worth of: Don't sell your colleague short; she's a smart lawyer.
[Middle English sellen, from Old English sellan, to give, sell.]
sell′a·ble adj.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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| Verb | 1. | sell short - sell securities or commodities or foreign currency that is not actually owned by the seller, who hopes to cover (buy back) the sold items at a lower price and thus to earn a profit commerce, commercialism, mercantilism - transactions (sales and purchases) having the objective of supplying commodities (goods and services) sell - 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" |
| 2. | sell short - underestimate the real value or ability of; "Don't sell your students short--they are just shy and don't show off their knowledge" underrate, underestimate - make too low an estimate of; "he underestimated the work that went into the renovation"; "Don't underestimate the danger of such a raft trip on this river" |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.