place definition | Dictionary.com

place

[pleys]

noun, verb, placed, plac⋅ing.

–noun

1.	a particular portion of space, whether of definite or indefinite extent.

2.	space in general: time and place.

3.	the specific portion of space normally occupied by anything: The vase is in its place. Every item on the shelf had its place.

4.	a space, area, or spot, set apart or used for a particular purpose: a place of worship; a place of entertainment.

5.	any part or spot in a body or surface: a decayed place in a tree.

6.	a particular passage in a book or writing: to find the place where one left off reading.

7.	a space or seat for a person, as in a theater, train, etc.: Please save my place for me.

8.	position, situation, or circumstances: I would complain if I were in your place.

9.	a proper or appropriate location or position: A restaurant is not the place for an argument.

10.	a job, post, or office: persons in high places.

11.	a function or duty: It is not your place to offer criticism.

12.	proper sequence or relationship, as of ideas, details, etc.: My thoughts began to fall into place.

13.	high position or rank: aristocrats of power and place.

14.	a region or area: to travel to distant places.

15.	an open space, or square, as in a city or town.

16.	a short street, a court, etc.

17.	a portion of space used for habitation, as a city, town, or village: Trains rarely stop in that place anymore.

18.	a building, location, etc., set aside for a specific purpose: He will soon need a larger place for his expanding business.

19.	a part of a building: The kitchen is the sunniest place in the house.

20.	a residence, dwelling, or house: Please come and have dinner at my place.

21.	lieu; substitution (usually fol. by of): Use yogurt in place of sour cream.

22.	a step or point in order of proceeding: in the first place.

23.	a fitting or promising opportunity: There's a place in this town for a man of his talents.

24.	a reasonable ground or occasion: This is no place for such an outburst.

25.

Arithmetic.

a.	the position of a figure in a series, as in decimal notation.

b.	Usually, places. the figures of the series.

26.	Drama. one of the three unities. Compare unity (def. 8).

27.

Sports.

a.	a position among the leading competitors, usually the first, second, or third at the finish line.

b.	the position of the competitor who comes in second in a horse race, harness race, etc. Compare show (def. 27), win (def. 17).

28.	places, Theater. a call summoning performers for the beginning of a performance or an act.

29.	room or space for entry or passage: to make place for the gentry.

–verb (used with object)

30.	to put in the proper position or order; arrange; dispose: Place the silverware on the table for dinner.

31.	to put or set in a particular place, position, situation, or relation.

32.	to put in a suitable place for some purpose: to place an advertisement in the newspaper.

33.	to put into particular or proper hands: to place some incriminating evidence with the district attorney.

34.	to give (an order or the like) to a supplier: She placed the order for the pizza an hour ago.

35.	to appoint (a person) to a post or office: The president placed him in the Department of Agriculture.

36.	to find a place, situation, etc., for (a person): The agency had no trouble placing him with a good firm.

37.	to determine or indicate the place or value of: to place health among the greatest gifts in life.

38.	to assign a certain position or rank to: The army placed him in the infantry.

39.	to succeed in attaining a position for in an athletic or other contest: to place players on the all-American team; to place students in the finals of the interscholastic chess tournament.

40.	to identify by connecting with the proper place, circumstances, etc.: to be unable to place a person; to place a face; to place an accent.

41.	to employ (the voice) for singing or speaking with consciousness of the bodily point of emphasis of resonance of each tone or register.

–verb (used without object)

42.

Sports.

a.	to finish among the first three competitors in a race.

b.	to finish second in a horse race, harness race, etc.

43.	to earn a specified standing with relation to others, as in an examination, competition, etc.: He placed fifth in a graduation class of 90.

—Idioms

44.

give place to,

a.	to give precedence or priority to: The old gives place to the new.

b.	to be succeeded or replaced by: Travel by trains has given place to travel by airplanes.

45.	go places, Informal. to succeed or advance in one's career: He'll never go places if he stays in his hometown.

46.

in place,

a.	in the correct or usual position or order: Dinner is ready and everything is in place.

b.	in the same spot, without advancing or retreating: Stand by your desk and jog in place for a few minutes of exercise.

47.	know or keep one's place, to recognize one's position or rank, esp. if inferior, and behave or act accordingly: They treated their servants well but expected them always to know their place.

48.

out of place,

a.	not in the correct or usual position or order: The library books are all out of place.

b.	unsuitable to the circumstances or surroundings; inappropriate: He had always felt out of place in an academic environment. A green suit was out of place at the funeral.

49.	put someone in his or her place, to lower someone's self-esteem; humble, esp. an arrogant person: She put me in my place by reminding me who was boss.

50.	take place, to happen; occur: The commencement exercises will take place outdoors unless it rains.

Origin:
bef. 950; (n.) ME, conflation of OE plæce and MF place, both < L platea, var. of platēa street, courtyard, area < Gk plateîa broad street, n. use of fem. of platýs broad, flat ¹ ; (v.) late ME, deriv. of the n.; see platy-

Related forms:

place⋅a⋅ble, adjective

placeless, adjective

place⋅less⋅ly, adverb

Synonyms:
1. location, locale, locality, site. 10. rank, employment. See position. 11. charge, responsibility. 14. section, sector. 30. situate, station. See put. 32. locate, set, deposit, lay, seat. 35. hire.

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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Link To place

place (plās)

1. An area with definite or indefinite boundaries; a portion of space.
2. Room or space, especially adequate space: There is place for everyone at the back of the room.
3. The particular portion of space occupied by or allocated to a person or thing.
4. A building or an area set aside for a specified purpose: a place of worship.
5. A dwelling; a house: bought a place on the lake.
6. A business establishment or office.
7. A locality, such as a town or city: visited many places.
8. A space in which one person, such as a passenger or spectator, can sit or stand.
9. A setting for one person at a table.
10. The proper or designated role or function: the place of the media in a free society.
11. The proper or customary position or order: These books are out of place.
12. A suitable setting or occasion: not the place to argue.
13. The appropriate right or duty: not her place to criticize.
1. The particular portion of space occupied by or allocated to a person or thing.
2. A building or an area set aside for a specified purpose: a place of worship.
3. A dwelling; a house: bought a place on the lake.
4. A business establishment or office.
5. A locality, such as a town or city: visited many places.
6. A space in which one person, such as a passenger or spectator, can sit or stand.
7. A setting for one person at a table.
8. The proper or designated role or function: the place of the media in a free society.
9. The proper or customary position or order: These books are out of place.
10. A suitable setting or occasion: not the place to argue.
11. The appropriate right or duty: not her place to criticize.
1. A dwelling; a house: bought a place on the lake.
2. A business establishment or office.
3. A locality, such as a town or city: visited many places.
4. A space in which one person, such as a passenger or spectator, can sit or stand.
5. A setting for one person at a table.
6. The proper or designated role or function: the place of the media in a free society.
7. The proper or customary position or order: These books are out of place.
8. A suitable setting or occasion: not the place to argue.
9. The appropriate right or duty: not her place to criticize.
Abbr. Pl. A public square or street with houses in a town.
1. A space in which one person, such as a passenger or spectator, can sit or stand.
2. A setting for one person at a table.
3. The proper or designated role or function: the place of the media in a free society.
4. The proper or customary position or order: These books are out of place.
5. A suitable setting or occasion: not the place to argue.
6. The appropriate right or duty: not her place to criticize.
A position regarded as belonging to someone or something else; stead: She was chosen in his place.
A particular point that one has reached, as in a book: I have lost my place.
A particular spot, as on the body: the place that hurts.
1. The proper or designated role or function: the place of the media in a free society.
2. The proper or customary position or order: These books are out of place.
3. A suitable setting or occasion: not the place to argue.
4. The appropriate right or duty: not her place to criticize.
Social station: He overstepped his place.
A particular situation or circumstance: Put yourself in my place.
High rank or status.
A job, post, or position: found a place in the company.
Relative position in a series; standing.
Games Second position for betting purposes, as in a horserace.
The specified stage in a list of points to be made, as in an argument: in the first place.
Mathematics A position in a numeral or series.

v. placed, plac·ing, plac·es

v. tr.

To put in or as if in a particular place or position; set.
To put in a specified relation or order: Place the words in alphabetical order.
To offer for consideration: placed the matter before the board.
To find accommodation or employment for.
To put into a particular condition: placed him under arrest.
To arrange for the publication or display of: place an advertisement in the newspaper.
To appoint to a post: placed her in a key position.
1. To rank in an order or sequence: I'd place him second best.
2. To estimate: placed the distance at 100 feet.
3. To give an order for: place a bet.
4. To apply or arrange for: place an order.
To identify or classify in a particular context: could not place that person's face.
1. To give an order for: place a bet.
2. To apply or arrange for: place an order.
To adjust (one's voice) for the best possible effects.

v. intr.
To be among those who finish a competition or race, especially to finish second.
Phrasal Verb(s):
place outTo qualify for a waiver of a requirement or prerequisite: placed out of a freshman composition class.

Idiom(s):
all over the placeIn or to many locations; everywhere: Film is sold all over the place.

Idiom(s):
in place

In the appropriate or usual position or order: With everything in place, she started the slide show.
In the same spot; without moving forwards or backwards: While marching in place, the band played a popular tune.

Idiom(s):
in place ofInstead of.

Idiom(s):
keep/know (one's) placeTo recognize one's social position and act according to traditional decorum.

Idiom(s):
place in the sunA dominant or favorable position or situation.

[Middle English, from Old English plæce and Old French place, open space (from Medieval Latin placea, from Vulgar Latin *plattea), both from Latin platēa, broad street, from Greek plateia (hodos), broad (street), feminine of platus; see plat- in Indo-European roots.]
place'a·ble adj., plac'er n.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source

place

. The ground or place for burying the dead; burial place.

Place

Place\, n. (Racing) The position of first, second, or third at the finish, esp. the second position. In betting, to win a bet on a horse for place it must, in the United States, finish first or second, in England, usually, first, second, or third.

Place

Place\, v. t. 1. (Racing) To determine or announce the place of at the finish. Usually, in horse racing only the first three horses are placed officially.

2. (Rugby Football) To place-kick ( a goal).

Place

Place\, n. [F., fr. L. platea a street, an area, a courtyard, from Gr. platei^a a street, properly fem. of platy`s, flat, broad; akin to Skr. p[.r]thu, Lith. platus. Cf. Flawn, Piazza, Plate, Plaza.]

1. Any portion of space regarded as measured off or distinct from all other space, or appropriated to some definite object or use; position; ground; site; spot; rarely, unbounded space.

Here is the place appointed. --Shak.

What place can be for us Within heaven's bound? --Milton.

The word place has sometimes a more confused sense, and stands for that space which any body takes up; and so the universe is a place. --Locke.

2. A broad way in a city; an open space; an area; a court or short part of a street open only at one end. "Hangman boys in the market place." --Shak.

3. A position which is occupied and held; a dwelling; a mansion; a village, town, or city; a fortified town or post; a stronghold; a region or country.

Are you native of this place? --Shak.

4. Rank; degree; grade; order of priority, advancement, dignity, or importance; especially, social rank or position; condition; also, official station; occupation; calling. "The enervating magic of place." --Hawthorne.

Men in great place are thrice servants. --Bacon.

I know my place as I would they should do theirs. --Shak.

5. Vacated or relinquished space; room; stead (the departure or removal of another being or thing being implied). "In place of Lord Bassanio." --Shak.

6. A definite position or passage of a document.

The place of the scripture which he read was this. --Acts viii. 32.

7. Ordinal relation; position in the order of proceeding; as, he said in the first place.

8. Reception; effect; -- implying the making room for.

My word hath no place in you. --John viii. 37.

9. (Astron.) Position in the heavens, as of a heavenly body; -- usually defined by its right ascension and declination, or by its latitude and longitude.

Place of arms (Mil.), a place calculated for the rendezvous of men in arms, etc., as a fort which affords a safe retreat for hospitals, magazines, etc. --Wilhelm.

High place (Script.), a mount on which sacrifices were offered. "Him that offereth in the high place." --Jer. xlviii. 35.

In place, in proper position; timely.

Out of place, inappropriate; ill-timed; as, his remarks were out of place.

Place kick (Football), the act of kicking the ball after it has been placed on the ground.

Place name, the name of a place or locality. --London Academy.

To give place, to make room; to yield; to give way; to give advantage. "Neither give place to the devil." --Eph. iv. 27. "Let all the rest give place." --Shak.

To have place, to have a station, room, or seat; as, such desires can have no place in a good heart.

To take place. (a) To come to pass; to occur; as, the ceremony will not take place. (b) To take precedence or priority. --Addison. (c) To take effect; to prevail. "If your doctrine takes place." --Berkeley. "But none of these excuses would take place." --Spenser.

To take the place of, to be substituted for.

Syn: Situation; seat; abode; position; locality; location; site; spot; office; employment; charge; function; trust; ground; room; stead.

Place

Place\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Placed; p. pr. & vb. n. Placing.] [Cf. F. placer. See Place, n.]

1. To assign a place to; to put in a particular spot or place, or in a certain relative position; to direct to a particular place; to fix; to settle; to locate; as, to place a book on a shelf; to place balls in tennis.

Upon my head they placed a fruitless crown. --Shak.

2. To put or set in a particular rank, office, or position; to surround with particular circumstances or relations in life; to appoint to certain station or condition of life; as, in whatever sphere one is placed.

Place such over them to be rulers. --Ex. xviii. 21.

3. To put out at interest; to invest; to loan; as, to place money in a bank.

4. To set; to fix; to repose; as, to place confidence in a friend. "My resolution 's placed." --Shak.

5. To attribute; to ascribe; to set down.

Place it for her chief virtue. --Shak.

To place (a person), to identify him. [Colloq. U.S.]

Syn: See Put.

Language Translation for : place

Spanish: sitio, lugar,

German: der Ort,

Japanese: 場所

More Translations »

place (n.)

O.E. "open space in a city, market place, square," from O.Fr. place, from M.L. placea "place, spot," from L. platea "courtyard, open space, broad street," from Gk. plateia (hodos) "broad (way)," fem. of platys "broad," from PIE *plat- "to spread" (cf. Skt. prathati "spreads out;" Hitt. palhi "broad;" Lith. platus "broad;" Ger. Fladen "flat cake;" O.Ir. lethan "broad"); extended variant form of base *pele- (see plane (1)). Replaced O.E. stow and stede. Wide application in Eng., covering meanings that in Fr. require three words: place, lieu, and endroit. Cognate It. piazza and Sp. plaza retain more of the etymological sense. Broad sense of "material space, dimension of defined or indefinite extent" is from c.1250. Sense of "position on some social scale" is from c.1325. Meaning "group of houses in a town" is from 1585. Place-kick is from 1845, originally in rugby. Placement is first attested 1844. All over the place "in disorder" is attested from 1923.

place (v.)

1548, from place (n.). In the horse racing sense of "to achieve a certain position" (usually in the top 3 finishers; in U.S., specifically second place) it is first attested 1924, from earlier meaning "to state the position of" (among the first three finishers), 1826. To take place "to happen, be accomplished" (1460, earlier have place, 1398), translates Fr. avoir lieu.

place

To sell a new securities issue.

PLACE
Programming Language for Automatic Checkout Equipment.
["The Compiler for the Programming Language for Automatic Checkout Equipment (PLACE)", AFAPL TR-68-27, Battelle Inst, Columbus, May 1968].

place

In addition to the idiom beginning with place, also see all over the place; between a rock and a hard place; fall in place; friend in court (high places); go places; have one's heart in the right place; in place; in someone's shoes (place); instead (in place) of; in the first place; jumping-off place; know one's place; out of place; pride of place; put someone in his or her place; run in place; take place; take someone's place.

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