ENGLISH
REFERENCE

sell the family silver

idiom

To sell one's property (not necessarily heirlooms) in an attempt to avoid or escape financial difficulties.


Anchors to
Related idioms8entries
  1. 01

    born with a silver spoon in one's mouth

    Born rich, or into a wealthy family.

  2. 02

    family jewels

    The testicles.

  3. 03

    I have a bridge to sell you

    An indirect way of expressing that the addressee is gullible.

  4. 04

    keep it in the family

    To restrict knowledge or information to only the members of a family or another small, intimate group.

  5. 05

    one big happy family

    A group of people who get along well together.

  6. 06

    run in the family

    To be a characteristic feature that is observed in several generations of a family.

  7. 07

    sell bargains

    To make saucy (usually indiscreet) comments; to come onto.

  8. 08

    sell dearly

    To make one's opponent pay a very high price to defeat or obtain (a person, unit, vehicle, or territory).

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