to sell someone out
109
5.9
- phrasal verb
- /sɛl ˈsʌmˌwʌn aʊt/
- Informal
:
vender a alguien
- He sold his friends out by leaking their plans to the rival team.
Examples
-
The people that are supposed to represent us have sold us out to special interests.
Blog text (13) -
Conner's selling us out.
-
I knew you were gonna sell me out.
-
But he sold you out.
-
An ally who can be bought will sell you out for a higher price.
Blog text (4) -
I'm about to sell you out!
-
What makes you so special that he won't sell you out too?
Blog text (4) -
I cannot believe you have such turncoat politicians who are selling out American families for money.
Blog text (17) -
The list of issues that 'pragmatists' are willing to sell out their fellow Democratic voters is long.
Blog text (12) -
They're selling you out, sonny.
Synonyms
642
7.9
To betray someone for personal gain
143
4.6
Tell someone's secret to other people
114
3.4
Tell a secret on purpose or by accident
76
8.6
To tell the police or another authority about someone's bad action, betraying their trust
12
8.8
To betray someone to get something for yourself
Antonyms
How Disloyal
- Informal
109
5.9
- Informal
5
6.6
32
6.5
143
4.6
210
2.9
Surface Forms
Morphology
The verb 'sell' can have a metaphorical sense of abandoning or betraying and the particle 'out' means to expose, so combining them with 'someone' yields a clear clue toward betraying or exposing a person. However, the specific nuance — betraying by revealing confidential information or failing to support someone for personal gain — is somewhat idiomatic and may not be fully predictable for a B1 learner without prior exposure.
Etymology
The phrasal verb sell someone out comes from the simple image of sell and out: imagine handing a friend to the police or an enemy for money or a reward, so they are exposed. So the phrase now means 'to betray someone, often for personal gain'.