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Glite Dictionary
to sell one's own grandmother

to sell one's own grandmother

9.9
To betray or use close family to get something for yourself
  • idiom
  • Informal
translation icon : traicionar a quien sea
  • He would sell his own grandmother for a quick profit!

Examples

  • Many politicians would sell one's own grandmother for a chance at power.

  • Is she really willing to sell her own grandmother?

  • He's so unscrupulous he'd sell one's own grandmother to make some extra money.

  • I could never trust someone who would sell one's own grandmother just to get ahead.

  • Some people are so ambitious that they would sell one's own grandmother for a promotion.

  • It's alarming to see how many executives would sell one's own grandmother to secure a lucrative contract.

  • In this cutthroat industry, many would sell one's own grandmother if it meant gaining an advantage.

Synonyms

to sell
vsto sell one's own grandmother
  • Informal
642 7.9

To betray someone for personal gain

is willing to betray even close people for advantage
to sell someone out
vsto sell one's own grandmother
  • Informal
109 5.9

Betray someone by telling their secrets to others for personal gain

is willing to betray in any way not only by revealing secrets
to sell down the river
vsto sell one's own grandmother
  • Informal
12 8.8

To betray someone to get something for yourself

is willing to betray even close people rather than just acquaintances
to cut someone's throat
vsto sell one's own grandmother
  • Offensive
8.4

To betray or hurt someone to get an advantage

is about betraying anyone for gain rather than using violent harm
to sell one's soul
vsto sell one's own grandmother
  • Informal
8.3

Act badly to get money, power, or success

is about betraying other people even close ones for personal gain

How Disloyal

to sell one's own grandmother
  • Informal
9.9
to betray
143 4.6
to let down
210 2.9

Surface Forms

sell one's own grandmother infinitive
selling one's own grandmother present participle
sells one's own grandmother third person singular
sold one's own grandmother past
sold one's own grandmother past participle

Morphology

sell + one's + own + grandmother

The combination of 'sell' and 'one's own grandmother' creates an obvious metaphor for betraying or exploiting a close relative, so a learner who knows the constituent words can usually infer the general sense of sacrificing family for personal gain. However, the expression is a hyperbolic, idiomatic exaggeration rather than a literal compositional phrase, so its full pragmatic force (willingness to betray even the closest kin) is not entirely predictable without exposure.

Etymology

Sell one's own grandmother creates a shocking image: to sell your own grandmother for money. It shows someone would betray even family for personal gain, so it means 'to be willing to betray or use anyone for personal gain'.