sell one's soul

present singular third person sells one's soul · participle present selling one's soul · participle past sold one's soul · past sold one's soul

1. idiomaticTo abandon one's spiritual values or moral principles for wealth or other benefits.

   so this is it? I sold my soul for this? Washed my hands of that for this? I miss my mom and dad for this?

   2012, Jeff Bhasker, Nate Ruess, Andrew Dost, Jack Antonoff, “Some Nights”, in Some Nights), performed by fun.

   4 more examples

   He murmured in her ear. “You are Marguerite, for you could fire a man's heart so that he would sell his soul to gain you.”

   1877, Charles Reade, chapter 3, in A Woman-Hater

   So I resolved to acquire a dog, and bought one from a prospector, who was stony-broke and would have sold his soul for a drink.

   1910, John Buchan, chapter 3, in Prester John, London; Edinburgh: Thomas Nelson and Sons, →OCLC

   After all, the South is where jazz and blues were invented. Where Robert Johnson supposedly sold his soul to the devil so he could play the licks that would become rock 'n' roll.

   2005 June 29, Desa Philadelphia, “Crunk: Hip-Hop's Got a New Accent”, in Time, archived from the original on 05 Sep 2012

   “David used to say he would sell his soul to be famous,” she says. “But he was also otherworldly – and you couldn’t take your eyes off him.”

   2024 April 2, Sarfraz Manzoor, quoting Suzi Ronson, “‘Bowie said he’d sell his soul to be famous’: Suzi Ronson on sex, ruthless ambition – and dyeing David’s hair red”, in The Guardian, →ISSN

   Synonyms: sell one's soul to the devil, sell one's soul to the Devil