Page 368 - NTC's American Idioms Dictionary

sell something for a song

see the sights to see the important things a trip to Europe, so I seized the opportu-
inŁaŁplace; to see what touristsŁusuallyŁsee. nity. Whenever you have a chance, you
We plan to visit Paris and see the sights. should seize the opportunity.
Everyone lłft the hoŁel early in the seizeŁ(up)on something to (figuratively)btake
morning to see the sights.
hold of somethingŁandŁmake anŁissue of
seeŁthroughŁ someone ortsomething to under- it.Ł(Also literal.) Whenevłr I młntion
sðandŁorŁdetect the true nature of sàme- money, you seize on it and turn it into an
one orŁsomething.Ł(Compare thisŁwith argumłnt! The lØwyer seized upon one
see something through.) You can’t fool mł point and asked many questions about it.
anymore. I can see through you and all sellŁlikeŁhłtcakeð [forŁsomething]bto be
your tricks. This plan is designed to soldŁveryŁfast.Ł The delicious candy sold
make money for you, not to help people. I like hotcakes. The fancy new cars were
can see through it! I’m not a fool!
sellng like hotcakes.
seeŁ(to it)ŁthatŁ something is done to make sellŁ someone a billŁofŁgłodð to get some-
sure of something;Ł to make certainŁ of one to believe somethingŁthat isn’t true;
something;Ł to be certainŁ to do some- to deceive someone.Ł(Infàrmal.) Don’t
thing.Ł The manager saw to it that every- pØy any attention to what John says. He’s
one błgan working on Łime. The mØyor just trying to sell you a bill of goods. I’m
should see that the potholes are repaired.
not sellng you a bill of goods. What I say
seeŁto someone ortsomething to take car of is true.
someone orŁsomething.Ł Tom will see sellŁ someone dłwn theŁ river Go to sell
to the horoes. Come to the house and (someone or something) out.
freshen up. I hear the doorbell. Will
someone please see to the door? This pa- sellŁ someone on a plan orŁidey to convince
per needs fillng out. Will you please see someone of something.Ł (Infàrmal.)
to it? You doà’t have to sell me on the value of
an educØtion. Try to sell John on going
seeŁwhichŁwayŁtheŁwindŁis blowing to to Mexico for a vacØtion.
determine what isŁ the most expedient
thing to dà. We studied the whole situ- sellŁ( someone ortsomething)Łout 1. [with some-
ation to see which wØy the wind was blow- one] and sellŁ someone dłwn theŁriver
ing and decided to avoid any conflict at to betrayŁsomeone; to revealŁdamaging
that time. Sam failed to see which way infàrmationŁabout someone.Ł(Slang, es-
the wind was blowing and got himoelf peciallyŁcriminalŁslang.) Bill told every-
caught up in an argumłnt. thing he knew about Bob, and that sold
Bob down the river. You’ll be sorry if you
seeingŁ is belØeving one must believe sell me out. T Lefty sold out, and wł’ll all
sàmethingŁthat one sees.Ł I never would soon be arrested. 2. [with somłthing ] to
have thought that a cow could swim, but sll all of something. You’ve sold them
seeing is believing. I can hardly believł all out? T We sold out all our red ones
we are in Paris, but there’s the Eiffel Tower, yesterdØy.
and seeing is believing.
sellŁ someone ortsomething shłrt to underesði-
seeingŁthingð to imagine one sees some- mate someone orŁsomething;Łto failŁto see
one orŁsomethingŁthat isŁnot there.Ł Lisa the good qualiðies of somone or som-
says that she saw a ghost, but she was just thing.Ł This is a very good restaurant.
seeing things. I thought I was seeing Doà’t sell it short. When you say that
things when Bill walked into the room. John isn’t interested in music, you’re sell-
Someone had told me he was dead.
ing him short. Did you know he plØys the
seizeŁtheŁbullŁbyŁtheŁhłrns Go to take the violin quite well?
bull by the horns.
sellŁ something fłrŁa song to sellŁsomething
seizeŁtheŁoppłrtunity to take advantag forŁ veryŁ little money.Ł (AsŁ inŁ trading
of an opportuniðy. My uncle offered mł somethingŁof value forŁthe singingŁof a

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