word-vault

{ "term": "sell", "partOfSpeech": "verb", "ox3000": true, "cefr": "a1", "verbForms": { "presentSimple": { "iYouWeThey": "sell", "heSheIt": "sells" }, "pastSimple": "sold", "pastParticiple": "sold", "ingForm": "selling" }, "definitions": [ { "senseNumber": 1, "definition": "to give something to somebody in exchange for money", "sensetop": "sell (something)sell something to somebodysell something to somebody for somethingsell somebody something (for something)sell something at somethingsell at something", "cefr": "a1", "ox3000": true, "examples": [ { "text": "I recently sold my bike.", "contextForm": "sell (something)" }, { "text": "His parents went bankrupt and the family had to sell their home." }, { "text": "The board agreed to sell the company." }, { "text": "The shares were sold in the open market." }, { "text": "We offered them a good price but they wouldn't sell." }, { "text": "The council is **planning to sell** the land to developers for housing.", "contextForm": "sell something to somebody" }, { "text": "I sold my car to James for £800.", "contextForm": "sell something to somebody for something" }, { "text": "I sold James my car for £800.", "contextForm": "sell somebody something (for something)" }, { "text": "They **sold** the business **at a profit/loss** *(= they gained/lost money when they sold it)*.", "contextForm": "sell something at something" }, { "text": "They sold at a loss.", "contextForm": "sell at something" }, { "text": "They never buy more than they can **sell at a good price**." }, { "text": "It will be hard to sell 3 000 tickets." }, { "text": "The company has been forced to sell land to recoup some of the losses." }, { "text": "The painting was sold at auction for $11.3 million." }, { "text": "The property proved hard to sell." }, { "text": "They are still trying to sell their house." }, { "text": "This medicine is sold over the counter." }, { "text": "Your broker has the right to sell your shares." } ], "topics": ["Shopping", "Business", "Money", "Houses and homes"], "collocations": { "adverb": ["cheaply"], "verb + sell": ["be able to", "can", "want to"], "preposition": ["at", "for", "to"], "phrases": [ "sell something at a discount", "sell something at a loss", "sell something at a premium" ] } }, { "senseNumber": 2, "definition": "to offer something for people to buy", "sensetop": "sell somethingsell something for/at something", "cefr": "a1", "ox3000": true, "examples": [ { "text": "Most supermarkets sell a range of organic products.", "contextForm": "sell something" }, { "text": "Do you sell stamps?" }, { "text": "to sell insurance" }, { "text": "His books are sold worldwide." }, { "text": "She decided to sell her work in order to support her family." }, { "text": "They **began selling** spectacles in 1783." }, { "text": "We sell these little notebooks at €1 each.", "contextForm": "sell something for/at something" }, { "text": "Many banks are willing to buy and sell shares on behalf of customers." }, { "text": "90 percent of the goods sold in its stores were made in Britain." }, { "text": "Increasing numbers of drugs are licensed to be sold over the counter." } ], "topics": ["Shopping"], "collocations": { "adverb": ["cheaply"], "verb + sell": ["be able to", "can", "want to"], "preposition": ["at", "for", "to"], "phrases": [ "sell something at a discount", "sell something at a loss", "sell something at a premium" ] } }, { "senseNumber": 3, "definition": "to be bought by people in the way or in the numbers mentioned; to be offered at the price mentioned", "sensetop": "sell somethingsell for/at something", "cefr": "a2", "ox3000": true, "examples": [ { "text": "The book sold well and was reprinted many times." }, { "text": "The new design just didn't sell *(= nobody bought it)*." }, { "text": "The magazine sells 300 000 copies a week.", "contextForm": "sell something" }, { "text": "Their last album sold millions." }, { "text": "The novel was expected to sell between 1 000 and 1 500 copies." }, { "text": "The pens sell for just 50p each.", "contextForm": "sell for/at something" } ], "collocations": { "adverb": ["cheaply"], "verb + sell": ["be able to", "can", "want to"], "preposition": ["at", "for", "to"], "phrases": [ "sell something at a discount", "sell something at a loss", "sell something at a premium" ] } }, { "senseNumber": 4, "definition": "to make people want to buy something", "sensetop": "sell something", "examples": [ { "text": "You may not like it but advertising sells." }, { "text": "It is quality not price that sells our products.", "contextForm": "sell something" } ] }, { "senseNumber": 5, "definition": "to persuade somebody that something is a good idea, service, product, etc.; to persuade somebody that you are the right person for a job, position, etc.", "sensetop": "sell something/yourself (to somebody)", "examples": [ { "text": "Now we have to try and sell the idea to management." }, { "text": "You really have to sell yourself at a job interview." } ] }, { "senseNumber": 6, "definition": "to accept money or a reward from somebody for doing something that is against your principles", "sensetop": "sell yourself (to somebody)", "labels": "(disapproving)", "examples": [], "synonyms": "prostitute" }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "to be very enthusiastic about something", "labels": "(informal)", "examples": [ { "text": "We were really sold on the idea." } ] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "to be bought quickly or in great numbers", "examples": [] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "to have sex with somebody in exchange for money", "examples": [] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "to give poor or unfair treatment to somebody you have promised to help", "labels": "(informal)", "examples": [], "synonyms": "betray" }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "to sell a country's assets, such as land or property, to foreign owners", "labels": "(Australian English, New Zealand English, informal)", "examples": [ { "text": "The government is happy to keep selling off the farm." } ] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "to sell somebody something/to buy something that has no value or is worth much less than the price paid", "labels": "(British English, old-fashioned, informal)", "examples": [] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "to not value somebody/yourself highly enough and show this by the way you treat or present them/yourself", "examples": [] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "to do anything, even something really bad or dishonest, in return for money, success or power", "examples": [], "topics": ["Success"] } ], "pronunciations": { "uk": [ { "pronunciation": "/sel/", "audio": "se/sell/sell__gb_1.mp3" }, { "pronunciation": "/selz/", "audio": "se/sell/sells__gb_1.mp3" }, { "pronunciation": "/səʊld/", "audio": "so/sell/sold__gb_1.mp3" }, { "pronunciation": "/ˈselɪŋ/", "audio": "se/sell/selling__gb_1.mp3" } ], "us": [ { "pronunciation": "/sel/", "audio": "se/sell/sell__us_1.mp3" }, { "pronunciation": "/selz/", "audio": "se/sell/sells__us_1.mp3" }, { "pronunciation": "/səʊld/", "audio": "so/sell/sold__us_1.mp3" }, { "pronunciation": "/ˈselɪŋ/", "audio": "se/sell/selling__us_1.mp3" } ] }, "wordOrigin": "Old English sellan (verb), of Germanic origin; related to Old Norse selja ‘give up, sell’. Early use included the sense ‘give, hand (something) over voluntarily following a request’." }