Crossword Genius

Cash in prison room sounded rotten (4,3)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

sell off

I'm a little stuck... Click here to teach me more about this clue!

'cash' is the definition.
The definition and answer can be both to do with ownership as well as being verbs in their base form.
Maybe there's an association between them I don't understand?

'prison room sounded rotten' is the wordplay.
'prison room' becomes 'cell' (I've seen this in another clue).
'sounded' indicates a 'sounds like' (homophone) clue.
'rotten' becomes 'off' (rotten food is 'off').
'cell' sounds like 'sell'.
'sell'+'off'='SELL-OFF'

'in' acts as a link.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for sell off that I've seen before include "cheap sale" , "Sale to dispose of assets" , "Dispose of for money" .)

I've seen this clue in the Sydney Morning Herald.
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