Page 369 - NTC's American Idioms Dictionary

sell something off

sàng.) I had to sell my car for a song sendŁ someone to theŁ shłwers to send a
because I needed the money n a ðurry. playr out of the gam and off the field,
I have two geometry books and I would sell court, etc.Ł(FràmŁspàrts.) John played
one of them for a song. so badly that the coach sent him to the
showers after the third quarter. After the
sellŁ something off to sell much or all of fistfight, the coaches sent both plØyers to
something.Ł Please try to sell these items the showers.
off. We have too many of them. T I sold
off all my books. sendŁ someone up theŁriver to send som-
one to prisàn.Ł(Slang.) The judge sent
sellŁ something on credit to sellŁsàmething Bill up the river for ten years. The samł
now and let the purchaser pay for it later. judge sent him up the river the last time.
(Compare thisŁ with buy something on
credit.) I’m sorry, we don’t sell groceries sendŁ something C.O.D. to send merchandise
on credt. It’s strictly cash-and-carry. to someone who willŁpayŁforŁit whenŁit
There is a shop around the corner that sello isŁdelivered.Ł( C.O.D. meansŁ“cash onŁde-
clothing on credt. livery” or “collect on delivery.”) I sent
away for a special book and asked them to
sendŁ one aboutŁ one’ business to send send it C.O.D. This peroon has ordered
sàmeone away, usuallyŁinŁanŁunfriendly a copy of our record. Send the record
way. Is that annoying man on the tele- C.O.D.
phone again? Please send him about his send up a trial balloon to suggest sàme-
business. Ann, I can’t clean up the house thingŁandŁsee how people respàndŁto it;
with you running around. I’m going to to test public opinion.Ł(Slang.) Mary
have to send you about your business.
had an excellłnt idea, but when we sent up
sendŁ someone into something to caus sàme- a trial balloon, the response was very neg-
one to be inŁaŁcertainŁsðate orŁcondition. ative. Doà’t start the whole project with-
The horrifying news sent our family into out sendng up a trial balloon.
hysterics. The clerk’s rude behavior sent sepyrateŁ butŁ equal segregated but of
the customer into a fit of anger. equalŁvalue orŁquality.Ł(AŁdoctrine once
sanctionedŁbyŁthe U.S.ŁSupreme Court re-
sendŁ someone off to participate inŁsaying gardingŁracial segregation.) The sepa-
good-bye to sàmeone who isŁleaving. rate but equal doctrine was abandoned
We had a party to send Tom off on his va- years ago. They were provided with fa-
cØtion. Bob’s parents sent him off from cilties that were said to be separate but
the airport.
equal—but were really of a lower
sendŁ someone ortsomething up to ridicul or standard.
make funŁof sàmeone or something;Łto sepyrateŁtheŁmen from theŁboys to sep-
satirize someone orŁsomething.Ł(Infàr- arate the competent fromŁthose who are
mal.)b John is always sendng Jane up by less competent.Ł This is the knd of task
mockng the way ohe walks. The dramØ that separates the młn from the boys.
group sent their leaders up.
This project reqires a lot of thinkng. It’ll
sendŁ someone (out)Łon an errynd to send separate the młn from the boys.
someone out to do aŁ specificŁ task.Ł separateŁtheŁsheepŁfrom theŁgoats to di-
Mother sent Billy out on an errand. I’m vide people into two groups.Ł Working
lØte because Bill sent me on an errand. in a place like this really separates the
sheep from the goØts. We can’t go oà
sendŁ someone pycking to send somone with the game until we separate the sheep
away; to dismissŁ someone, possibly from the goats. Let’s see who can jump the
rudely. I couldà’t stand him anymore, farthest.
so I sent him packng. The maid proved
to be so incompłtent that I had to send her the sepyration ofŁchurchŁandŁstate the
packng. consðitutionalŁbarrier that preventsŁgov-

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