The company had to sell the family silver to pay its debts.
sell the family silver
idiomTo sell one's property (not necessarily heirlooms) in an attempt to avoid or escape financial difficulties.
Origin
first recorded 20th c.Referring to the selling of heirlooms. Use in reference to national policy popularized in a paraphrasing of a speech in 1985 by former British prime minister Harold Macmillan: “The sale of assets is common with individuals and states when they run into financial difficulties. First, all the Georgian silver goes, and then all that nice furniture that used to be in the saloon. Then the Canalettos go,” in reference the privatization policy of Margaret Thatcher.
To keep the business running during the crisis, the owners were forced to sell the family silver.
Facing total bankruptcy, the government decided to sell the family silver by privatizing essential national assets to cover the mounting deficit.
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born with a silver spoon in one's mouth
Born rich, or into a wealthy family.
- 02
family jewels
The testicles.
- 03
I have a bridge to sell you
An indirect way of expressing that the addressee is gullible.
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keep it in the family
To restrict knowledge or information to only the members of a family or another small, intimate group.
- 05
one big happy family
A group of people who get along well together.
- 06
run in the family
To be a characteristic feature that is observed in several generations of a family.
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sell bargains
To make saucy (usually indiscreet) comments; to come onto.
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sell dearly
To make one's opponent pay a very high price to defeat or obtain (a person, unit, vehicle, or territory).