sold, adj. — Green’s Dictionary of Slang

sold adj.

[sell v. (1); Partridge notes phr. sold again and got the money as ‘a costermonger’s catch-phrase on having successfully “done” someone in a bargain’]

1. tricked, fooled.

1812		Vaux Vocab. of the Flash Lang.
1818		W. Perry London Guide 60: The moment the bets are made superior to the stakes at play, the game is sold. Sold! [...] you are done out of your bet to a dead certainty.
c.1835		‘Life of a Vagabond’ in Holloway & Black II (1979) 64: Thank you mum, sold again and got the money.
1848		‘Jumping Over a Bear’ Spirit of the Times 30 Dec. (N.Y.) 535: A loud guffaw from the boys arrested his steps; he looked back, and muttering ‘Sold, by G--d!’ dropped down almost exhausted.
1856		C. Reade It Is Never Too Late to Mend II 285: ‘Sold!’ says my one.
1858		Sydney Morn. Herald 18 Oct. 5/3: To use a slang phrase, I was indeed sold.
1861		Hills & Plains 2 233: Duns and bum-bailiffs can’t chase a man across the Cocytus: they would be sold horribly.
1865		Leaves from Diary of Celebrated Burglar 26/2: I am b—y well sold, and the ‘sheeney’ is a ‘namaser’ and a little ‘shiser’ — serves me well right.
1866		Letters by an Odd Boy 163: Why should the opposing party, on defeating me, rejoice in phrase enigmatical — ‘Sold again and got the money?’.
1873		J. O’Connor Wanderings of a Vagabond 373: When he had waited a full hour, and no dealer made his appearance, he began to ‘smell a rat.’ ‘Sold, sartain!’ he ejaculated.
1881		Bulletin (Sydney) 2 Apr. 4/1: Two disgusted and virtuously sober pressmen, who swear they have been sold.
1888–94		‘Walter’ My Secret Life (1966) I 56: We were sold; I was once sold again in a similar manner afterwards, when by myself.
1892		H. Nisbet Bushranger’s Sweetheart 211: ‘Sold again,’ snarled Stringy.
1899		‘Pot’ & ‘Swears’ Scarlet City 78: [She] was furious at being sold.
1905		‘Doss Chiderdoss’ ‘Selling a Husband’ Sporting Times 27 May 1/3: I was fairly sold when I took you for better or for worse; / And, in fact, our married life’s been one long sell!
1932		J.L. Kuethe ‘Johns Hopkins Jargon’ in AS VII:5 336: sold—hoodwinked; cheated (to sell a person out—to cheat; to doublecross).
1933		C. Himes ‘His Last Day’ in Coll. Stories (1990) 293: He was conscious of a dull burning resentment at having been sold by a lousy frail.

2. convinced, successfully persuaded.

1846		Windsor & Eton Exp. 7 Feb. 3/2: He thought how he’d been sold himself, and wiped away a tear.
1876		‘Mark Twain’ Tom Sawyer 147: As the ‘sold’ congregation trooped out they said they would almost be willing to be made ridiculous again.
1885		‘’Arry on the Elections’ in Punch 12 Dec. 277/2: Are me and sech swells as McCrump / To be sold by a Juggins like Giles?
1905		‘Doss Chiderdoss’ ‘As Good As New’ Sporting Times 21 Jan. 1/4: ‘Don’t be dense,’ Sniggered Swibby. ‘My boy, you’re a “sold” one.’.
1942		W.R. Burnett Quick Brown Fox 72: ‘You teach me the rhumba. I’ll teach you badminton. Is it a go?’ ‘Sold,’ said Ray.
1951		M. Spillane One Lonely Night 89: When he spoke we were sold completely.
1956		J. Curtis Look Long Upon a Monkey 29: Dom was sold, nigh on, but it would be a ricket to tell him the I.R.A. was bound to find a good hide-out for a mate who’d escaped with one of their own.
1974		G.F. Newman You Flash Bastard 210: ‘I’m sure you have more than enough work back in your own office, Inspector.’ The charm oozed, but Sneed wasn’t sold.
2001		K. Sampson Outlaws (ms.) 33: The lad looks at the money in his hand. Sold.
2010		(con. 1973) C. Stella Johnny Porno 254: It’s you I’m worried about, the fact you’re still not sold she had something to do with this.

In phrases

sold like a bullock in Smithfield (adj.) [Smithfield (founded in the 12C) remains London’s main wholesale meat-market, although live animals have not been brought there since 1855]

badly cheated; utterly betrayed.

1809		Times 28 Apr. 4/2: I don’t want to see that House [i.e. of Commons] filled with men who are notoriously bought and sold like a bullock in Smithfield Market.
1812		Vaux Vocab. of the Flash Lang. in McLachlan (1964) 264: sell: to sell a man is to betray him [...] A man who falls victim to any treachery of this kind, is said to have been sold like a bullock in Smithfield.
1820		Examiner (London) 30 Apr. 11/2: I was struck by a man. I was stopped by a watchman [...] I am sold like a bullock in Smithfield Market.
1838		Leeds Times (Yorks.) 25 Aug. 6/3: Oh dear [...] I’m blessed if I ar’nt sold like a bullock in Smithfield.
1842		Morn. Post (London) 29 July 7/2: One of the men repeated several times [...] that he was ‘sold like a bullock in Smithfield’.
1857		Morn. Chron. 24 July 3/3: Witness told Dennant that he had done his business for life, and sold him like a bullock in Smithfield Market.
1865		Leeds Mercury (Yorks.) 9 Aug. 3/4: Thomas was charged [...] he admitted it, adding, ’But now I am sold like a bullock in Smihfield, for nothing’.
1888		Royal Cornwall Gaz. 20 Jan. 8/4: He wept bitterly at this [...] saying [...] ‘I am sold like a bullock in Smithfield’.
1895		Sth London Press 20 Apr. 2/7: In fact, he considered that he had been sold like a bullock in Smithfield (Laughter).

sold on (adj.)

convinced, fascinated by.

1924		C.S. Montanye ‘The Dizzy Dumb-Bell’ in Top Notch 1 Aug. 🌐 Her name is Ruby— [...] And she’s sold on you.
1933		W.R. Burnett Dark Hazard (1934) 93: Say, I’m sold on dog-racing except for the monkey tricks.
1949		Wodehouse Mating Season 36: She was sold on Gussie.
1958		H. Ellison ‘With a Knife in her Hand’ in Deadly Streets (1983) 145: Oh, is this stupe sold on me.
1965		C. Brown Manchild in the Promised Land (1969) 218: Carole was really sold on this Holy Roller thing.
1975		E. Torres Carlito’s Way 62: They are sold on this stuff [i.e. saint-worship], can’t tell them different.
1977		(con. 1960s) D. Goines Black Gangster (1991) 166: I’ve been sold on this thing ever since you brought the idea up.
1997		G. Sikes 8 Ball Chicks (1998) 251: Back then I had the feeling that she and Bird weren’t sold on the idea.