sell someone out

S

sell someone out

Meaning:

• to betray someone
• to let someone’s secret out
• to reveal damaging information about someone

Example:

1. The company had put a lot of trust on him, but he sold them out by leaking confidential information to the competitors.
2. Celebrities have a hard time keeping secrets. Most of the time its their close friends who sell them out to the media.
3. I had trusted you to keep my secret. I can’t believe that you sold me out!
4. They wanted to keep the news under wraps to avoid a scandal, but someone on the inside sold them out.
5. Can I trust you with this piece of information or will you sell me out?
6. Hardened criminals are tough to crack. They don’t easily sell their accomplices out, even if it means torture for them.
7. There has been a misunderstanding! Why would I sell you out? It must have been someone else.
8. He can be trusted with that information. He will not sell us out under any circumstances.

Origin:
The origin of this phrase is not clear.

Betrayal