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hard sell

 - 5 dictionary results

hard sell

 
Use hard sell in a Sentence
–noun
a method of advertising or selling that is direct, forceful, and insistent; high-pressure salesmanship (opposed to soft sell ).
Origin:
1950–55, Americanism

hard-sell

  [hahrd-sel] verb, -sold, -sell⋅ing, adjective
–verb (used with object), verb (used without object)
1. to sell or advertise (something) in a forceful and insistent way: to hard-sell new car models to reluctant buyers.
2. to convince (someone) in a forceful and insistent way: to hard-sell customers on a new product.
–adjective
3. characterized by or promoted through a hard sell: hard-sell tactics.
Origin:
1955–60, Americanism
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To hard sell
hard sell  
n.   Informal

  1. Aggressive, high-pressure selling or promotion.

  2. A person or organization that resists pressure from salespeople; a difficult sales prospect.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Slang Dictionary
hard sell

  1. n.
    a high-pressure attempt to sell something. : I'm afraid I'm very susceptible to the hard sell.
Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions by Richard A. Spears.Fourth Edition.
Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
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Idioms & Phrases

hard sell

  1. An aggressive, high-pressure sales practice or promotion, as in Used-car salesmen tend to give you a hard sell. This expression gave rise to the antonym soft sell, a low-key sales approach that relies on gentle persuasion. [Colloquial; c. 1950]

  2. A difficult sales prospect, one who resists sales pressure. For example, Those brokers who call us at dinnertime find me a hard sellI usually just hang up on them. [Late 1900s]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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