Antonyms for selling

Grammar : Noun

Spell : sel-ing

Phonetic Transcription : ˈsɛl ɪŋ

Definition of selling

Origin : Old English sellan "to give, furnish, supply, lend; surrender, give up; deliver to; promise," from Proto-Germanic *saljan "offer up, deliver" (cf. Old Norse selja "to hand over, deliver, sell;" Old Frisian sella, Old High German sellen "to give, hand over, sell;" Gothic saljan "to offer a sacrifice"), ultimately from PIE root *sel- (3) "to take, grasp."
Meaning "to give up for money" had emerged by c.1000, but in Chaucer selle still can mean "to give." Students of Old English learn early that the word that looks like sell usually means "give." An Old English word for "to sell" was bebycgan, from bycgan "to buy."
Slang meaning "to swindle" is from 1590s. The noun phrase hard sell is recorded from 1952. To sell one's soul is from c.1570. Sell-by date is from 1972. To sell like hot cakes is from 1839. Selling-point attested from 1959.
To sell (someone) down the river is first recorded 1927, but probably from or with recollection of slavery days, on notion of sale from the Upper South to the cotton plantations of the Deep South (attested in this literal sense since 1851).

noun the act of selling
noun the occupation of selling

Example sentences :

Well, I'm buying and she's selling, and we'll have that money back.
Extract from : « The Spenders » by Harry Leon Wilson

I have seen legislators bought like bullocks--they selling themselves.
Extract from : « 'Tis Sixty Years Since » by Charles Francis Adams

There's no reason why these books should not keep on selling.
Extract from : « Her Father's Daughter » by Gene Stratton-Porter

He regretted to say that the book was not selling so well as he had hoped it would sell.
Extract from : « The Foolish Lovers » by St. John G. Ervine

It is only a question of buying upon his part and of selling upon mine.
Extract from : « Howard Pyle's Book of Pirates » by Howard Pyle

The art and practice of selling one's credibility for future delivery.
Extract from : « The Devil's Dictionary » by Ambrose Bierce

They are picking grapes and working a wine press and selling wine.
Extract from : « Buried Cities: Pompeii, Olympia, Mycenae » by Jennie Hall

I suppose the habit of selling diamonds had made him rather suspicious of every one.
Extract from : « Henry Dunbar » by M. E. Braddon

The market may advance so that by September, sugar is selling at 8.00.
Extract from : « About sugar buying for Jobbers » by B. W. Dyer

He only came up against it when caught in the act of selling spirits.
Extract from : « The Law-Breakers » by Ridgwell Cullum

Synonyms for selling

Based on : Thesaurus.com - Gutenberg.org - Dictionary.com - Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019