What Does 'Sold Down The River' Really Mean?

 

 

 
It is an American "idiom" which means 'a profound betrayal'.

Slaves who had been "sold down the river" were auctioned off to plantation owners. Encyclopaedia Britannica/UIG. 

For generations, the phrase "sold down the river" has been used to signify a profound betrayal. 

"River" was a literal reference to the Mississippi or Ohio rivers.

Collins English Dictionary. Thesaurus Grammar
Definition of 'sell somebody down the river'

phrase :  If someone sells you down the river, they betray you for some personal profit or advantage.

 

My Comments :

If you venture outside your house or place of work, it is very highly likely that there is a river within 1 - 2 km of where you are. We have so many rivers in Malaysia.   

The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT.