selling the family silver

A form of sell the family silver — To sell one's property (not necessarily heirlooms) in an attempt to avoid or escape financial difficulties.

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Meanings

verb
  1. gerundparticiplepresentpresent participle and gerund of sell the family silver
Cite this entry
APA

selling the family silver. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/selling%20the%20family%20silver

MLA

“selling the family silver.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/selling%20the%20family%20silver. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “selling the family silver,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/selling%20the%20family%20silver.

Source: selling the family silver on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.