To give something to someone in exchange for money. It can also mean to persuade someone to accept or believe an idea.
From Old English 'sellan' meaning 'to give, hand over, deliver', which later developed the idea of giving in exchange for payment. It is related to Old Norse 'selja' with a similar meaning.
Originally, 'sell' was closer to 'give', and only later narrowed into money-based exchanges. When you 'sell' someone on an idea, you’re going back to that older sense—handing over a belief instead of a product.
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