sell-outˈsell-out, sell‧out /ˈselaʊt/ noun [singular] 
The concert was expected to be a sell-out. a sellout crowd of 32,0002informal a situation in which someone has not done what they promised to do or were expected to do by the people who trusted them: a sellout of the poor for political reasons3informal someone who has not done what they promised to do or who is not loyal to their friends or supporters, especially in order to become more popular, richer etc: Many black students regarded him as a sellout.
EXAMPLES FROM THE CORPUS
- But this was a small price to pay for insurance against a leadership sell-out.
- Co-operating with him might lead to a sell-out before they had even started.
- It's another sell-out at Lansdowne Road this afternoon, only the thriving black market will have tickets for sale.
- Not surprisingly, the show was a sell-out.
- The anarchist solution was more imaginative - neatly avoiding the possibility of sell-out by having no leaders at all.
- The huge sell-out reformation shows earlier this year were something they never achieved in their chart heyday.
Longman Language Activatorwhen all of something has been sold
if a shop, ticket office etc sells out of goods or tickets, or if goods or tickets sell out , all of them are sold so there are no more available: · I went to the store to get some bread but they had sold out.· Sunday newspapers often sell out by 10 o'clock.sell out of: · They opened at 8 o'clock, and by 8.30 they had sold out of tickets for the big game.be sold out (=when all the tickets for a performance or sports event have been sold): · We couldn't get tickets anywhere - the show was completely sold out.
if a play, football game, concert etc is a sell-out , it is very popular and all the tickets for it have been sold: · The band's European tour was a sell-out.sell-out crowd: · The Mariners beat the Angels in front of a sell-out crowd.
if a product or the shop selling the product is out of stock , the shop does not have any of that product available now, because they have sold all of it: · The scooters are popular and are often out of stock.· We're out of stock, but we can put one on order for you.
if a hotel, restaurant, or organized trip somewhere is booked up or fully booked , all the places have been bought and there are no more available: · Flights to the US are all booked up this time of year.· Popular campsites are fully booked on weekends for most of the summer.· All the hotels in the area are booked up months in advance.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY a sellout crowd of 32,000
1a performance, sports game etc for which all the tickets have been sold: a sellout crowd of 32,000 The concert was expected to be a sell-out. a sellout crowd of 32,0002informal a situation in which someone has not done what they promised to do or were expected to do by the people who trusted them: a sellout of the poor for political reasons3informal someone who has not done what they promised to do or who is not loyal to their friends or supporters, especially in order to become more popular, richer etc: Many black students regarded him as a sellout.