sell down the river
Abandon for gain
To sell someone down the river is to betray them, especially for personal gain.
The phrase comes from the American slave trade, where enslaved people in the Upper South were literally sold to plantations down the Mississippi River—a fate widely understood as harsher.
After twenty years of loyalty, the company sold him down the river to protect the CEO.
Betray someone's trust
- double-crossTreacherous deception of partner
- betrayViolate a trust
- treacheryDeliberate violation of trust
- perfidyDeliberate breach of trust
sellout · traitor · turncoat · stab in the back · deceiver · false friend · two-faced · faithless
Ownership of people
- slave tradeCommerce in human beings
- auctionCompetitive public sale
- chattelMovable personal property
- plantationLarge-scale farming operation
antebellum · Mississippi · Deep South · bondage · human trafficking · sold · historical · racial injustice
Use for one's benefit
- usePut into service
- abuseCruel or violent treatment
- sacrificeGiving up something precious
- exploitNotable act or abuse
manipulate · trade away · commodify · victimize · prey upon · disposable · expendable · pawn
backstab
Betray someone's trust
- double-crossTreacherous deception of partner
- betrayViolate a trust
- treacheryDeliberate violation of trust
perfidy · sellout · traitor · turncoat · stab in the back · deceiver · false friend · two-faced · faithless · disloyal
hoodwink
Trick into false belief
con · swindle · defraud · trick · cheat · deceive · gull · sucker · hoax · sham
slavery
Ownership of people
- slave tradeCommerce in human beings
- auctionCompetitive public sale
- chattelMovable personal property
plantation · antebellum · Mississippi · Deep South · bondage · human trafficking · sold · historical · racial injustice · dehumanization
take advantage of
Use for one's benefit
exploit · manipulate · trade away · commodify · victimize · prey upon · disposable · expendable · pawn · bargaining chip
sell down the riverstand by
Remain ready to assist
stand up for · stand firm · have someone's back · stick by · stick up for
sell down the riverprotect
Keep from harm
defend · shield · safeguard · stick up for · look out for
sell down the riverstand firm
Refuse to retreat
hold the line · stand one's ground · dig in · hold fast · stick to one's guns
sell, selling, seller, sellers, down, downer, downers, river, rivers