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-

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
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American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

place (plās) Pronunciation Key
n.

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 out To qualify for a waiver of a requirement or prerequisite: placed out of a freshman composition class.

Idiom(s):
all over the place In 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 of Instead of.

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

Idiom(s):
place in the sun A 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 © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
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.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
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.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This

place
noun
1.	a point located with respect to surface features of some region; "this is a nice place for a picnic"; "a bright spot on a planet" [syn: topographic point]
2.	any area set aside for a particular purpose; "who owns this place?"; "the president was concerned about the property across from the White House"
3.	an abstract mental location; "he has a special place in my thoughts"; "a place in my heart"; "a political system with no place for the less prominent groups"
4.	a general vicinity; "He comes from a place near Chicago"
5.	the post or function properly or customarily occupied or served by another; "can you go in my stead?"; "took his place"; "in lieu of" [syn: stead]
6.	a particular situation; "If you were in my place what would you do?"
7.	where you live at a particular time; "deliver the package to my home"; "he doesn't have a home to go to"; "your place or mine?" [syn: home]
8.	a job in an organization; "he occupied a post in the treasury" [syn: position]
9.	the particular portion of space occupied by something; "he put the lamp back in its place" [syn: position]
10.	proper or designated social situation; "he overstepped his place"; "the responsibilities of a man in his station"; "married above her station"
11.	a space reserved for sitting (as in a theater or on a train or airplane); "he booked their seats in advance"; "he sat in someone else's place" [syn: seat]
12.	the passage that is being read; "he lost his place on the page"
13.	proper or appropriate position or location; "a woman's place is no longer in the kitchen"
14.	a public square with room for pedestrians; "they met at Elm Plaza"; "Grosvenor Place" [syn: plaza]
15.	an item on a list or in a sequence; "in the second place"; "moved from third to fifth position"
16.	a blank area; "write your name in the space provided" [syn: space]
verb
1.	put into a certain place or abstract location; "Put your things here"; "Set the tray down"; "Set the dogs on the scent of the missing children"; "Place emphasis on a certain point" [syn: put]
2.	place somebody in a particular situation or location; "he was placed on probation"
3.	assign a rank or rating to; "how would you rank these students?"; "The restaurant is rated highly in the food guide" [syn: rate]
4.	assign a location to; "The company located some of their agents in Los Angeles" [syn: locate]
5.	to arrange for; "place a phone call"; "place a bet"
6.	take a place in a competition; often followed by an ordinal; "Jerry came in third in the Marathon"
7.	intend (something) to move towards a certain goal; "He aimed his fists towards his opponent's face"; "criticism directed at her superior"; "direct your anger towards others, not towards yourself" [syn: target]
8.	recognize as being; establish the identity of someone or something; "She identified the man on the 'wanted' poster" [syn: identify]
9.	assign to (a job or a home)
10.	locate; "The film is set in Africa" [syn: set]
11.	estimate; "We put the time of arrival at 8 P.M."
12.	identify the location or place of; "We localized the source of the infection"
13.	make an investment; "Put money into bonds" [syn: invest] [ant: disinvest]
14.	assign to a station [syn: station]
15.	finish second or better in a horse or dog race; "he bet $2 on number six to place"
16.	sing a note with the correct pitch

WordNet® 3.0, © 2006 by Princeton University.
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American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms - Cite This Source - Share This

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.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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Wallstreet Words - Cite This Source - Share This

place

To sell a new securities issue.

Wall Street Words: An A to Z Guide to Investment Terms for Today's Investor by David L. Scott.
Copyright © 2003 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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Free On-line Dictionary of Computing - Cite This Source - Share This

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].

The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing, © 1993-2007 Denis Howe
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U.S. Gazetteer - Cite This Source - Share This

Elmwood Place, OH (village, FIPS 06125186)
Location: (39.185608, -84.487842)
Population (2000): 2,681 (1,173 housing units)
Area: 0.330723 sq mi (land), 0.000000 sq mi (water)
Zip code(s): 45216

College Place, WA (city, FIPS 13855)
Location: (46.045127, -118.382425)
Population (2000): 7,818 (3,134 housing units)
Area: 2.418773 sq mi (land), 0.000000 sq mi (water)
Zip code(s): 99324

Carle Place, NY (CDP, FIPS 12419)
Location: (40.750600, -73.610472)
Population (2000): 5,247 (1,922 housing units)
Area: 0.941515 sq mi (land), 0.000000 sq mi (water)
Zip code(s): 11514

Miller Place, NY (CDP, FIPS 47306)
Location: (40.946624, -72.993087)
Population (2000): 10,580 (3,512 housing units)
Area: 7.206678 sq mi (land), 0.000000 sq mi (water)
Zip code(s): 11764

Elmwood Place, OH (village, FIPS 25186)
Location: (39.185608, -84.487842)
Population (2000): 2,681 (1,173 housing units)
Area: 0.330723 sq mi (land), 0.000000 sq mi (water)
Zip code(s): 45216

Thoms Place, AK (CDP, FIPS 76970)
Location: (56.195077, -132.198042)
Population (2000): 22 (30 housing units)
Area: 10.654184 sq mi (land), 0.000000 sq mi (water)

University Place, WA (city, FIPS 73465)
Location: (47.219545, -122.541610)
Population (2000): 29,933 (12,684 housing units)
Area: 8.386849 sq mi (land), 0.073797 sq mi (water)

Southside Place, TX (city, FIPS 69272)
Location: (29.709629, -95.435442)
Population (2000): 1,546 (647 housing units)
Area: 0.246534 sq mi (land), 0.000000 sq mi (water)

Meadows Place, TX (city, FIPS 47335)
Location: (29.649599, -95.588747)
Population (2000): 4,912 (1,616 housing units)
Area: 0.936003 sq mi (land), 0.000000 sq mi (water)

Langdon Place, KY (city, FIPS 43900)
Location: (38.285246, -85.584417)
Population (2000): 974 (358 housing units)
Area: 0.174919 sq mi (land), 0.000000 sq mi (water)

West University Place, TX (city, FIPS 77956)
Location: (29.715929, -95.432992)
Population (2000): 14,211 (5,543 housing units)
Area: 2.010446 sq mi (land), 0.000000 sq mi (water)

Oak Hills Place, LA (CDP, FIPS 56855)
Location: (30.366159, -91.089250)
Population (2000): 7,996 (3,131 housing units)
Area: 3.065953 sq mi (land), 0.062142 sq mi (water)

Old Brownsboro Place, KY (city, FIPS 57658)
Location: (38.289169, -85.613111)
Population (2000): 384 (148 housing units)
Area: 0.118134 sq mi (land), 0.000000 sq mi (water)

Tanglewilde-Thompson Place, WA (CDP, FIPS 70297)
Location: (47.051718, -122.781491)
Population (2000): 5,670 (2,167 housing units)
Area: 1.446777 sq mi (land), 0.000000 sq mi (water)

Walla Walla-College Place, WA (CCD, FIPS 07193664)
Location: (46.058817, -118.339290)
Population (2000): 44,912 (17,289 housing units)
Area: 70.057482 sq mi (land), 0.131108 sq mi (water)

U.S. Gazetteer, U.S. Census Bureau
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Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

place

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

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

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.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

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).

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

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.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

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.