sell down the river

Idioms and Phrases

Betray, as in They kept the merger a secret until the last minute, so the employees who were laid off felt they'd been sold down the river . This expression, dating from the mid-1800s, alludes to slaves being sold down the Mississippi River to work as laborers on cotton plantations. Its figurative use dates from the late 1800s.

Example Sentences

Just this week, I overheard someone in Los Angeles, the Liberal Elite Capital of the World, use the phrase “sell down the river” with a blitheness that clearly demonstrated they had no idea of the terrible history and impact of the idiom.

From The Verge

He’s quick to champion the Second and 10th amendments but happy to sell down the river other constitutional priorities such as the 14th Amendment - ironically, one of the greatest of all Republican legacies.

From Washington Times

Related Words

• blow the lid off
• bring to light
• crack wide open
• disclose
• divulge
• expose
• inform
• leak
• report
• tell