English

Noun

sell-sword ‎(plural sell-swords)

1. Alternative form of sellsword
   • 1977, Fox, Gardner Francis, “Shadow of a Demon”, in The Year's Best Fantasy Stories: 3, ISBN 9780879973384, page 32:

     He was a mercenary, a sell-sword, a barbarian out of the forested mountains of Norumbria. A wanderer by nature, he earned his keep wherever he went by the might of his sword-arm, by his skill with weapons.

   • 1985, Gentle, Mary, Golden Witchbreed, ISBN 9780451136060, page 189:

     I'm a sell-sword. I make my living because I keep my word. Unreliable mercenaries don't get paid.

   • 2003, Lynn Abbey, "The Red Lucky", Thieves' World: Turning Points, Macmillan, ISBN 1429970014, page 303

     Bezul saw the sell-swords choose the doorway, not him, and somehow got in front of them, then desperation took control of his mind.

   • For more examples of usage of this term, see Citations:sellsword.