be sold a pup
be sold a pup
slang To have bought something that is ultimately worthless. Primarily heard in UK. I'm sorry, but that's definitely not an authentic Louis Vuitton bag. You've been sold a pup, my friend.
See also: pup, sold
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
be sold a pup
BRITISH, INFORMALIf someone is sold a pup, they buy or accept something that is not as good as they thought it would be. It's the car you want at the price you want to pay. But can you trust the seller, or will you be sold a pup? The pictures were published in good faith but the newspaper discovered two days later that they had been sold a pup. Note: A pup is a puppy or young dog, and is probably being contrasted with an animal that is older and does not need to be trained before being put to work.
See also: pup, sold
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.
- pup
- not worth beans
- not worth a dime
- buy a lemon
- make chalk of one and cheese of the other
- not worth a brass farthing
- be not worth a brass farthing
- pack rat
- throw out the baby with the bath water
- throw the baby out with the bath