1 C1 formal
To gradually sell portions of a financial stake or holding in order to reduce one's position.
"The fund manager began to sell down its stake in the tech company after the quarterly results disappointed."
separable
sell down
C1 formal separable transitive
To gradually reduce a financial holding or position by selling portions of it over time.
In plain English
To slowly sell shares or investments bit by bit to reduce how much you own.
What does "sell down" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 C1 idiomatic neutral
(Archaic/historical) To sell someone, particularly an enslaved person, to a harsher owner as punishment — used in the phrase 'sell down the river'.
"In the American South, being 'sold down the river' meant being sent to the most brutal plantations."
separable
Usage tip
Primarily a financial term used in investment, banking, and business contexts. Also found in the phrase 'sell someone down the river', which is a separate idiom meaning to betray someone.
Words that pair with "sell down"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
shares stake holdings portfolio position assets
How to conjugate "sell down"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
sell down
I/you/we/they
3rd person
sells down
he/she/it
Past simple
sold down
yesterday
Past participle
sold down
have + pp
-ing form
selling down
continuous
Hear "sell down" in the wild
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