put
to move or place (anything) so as to get it into or out of a specific location or position: I put the book on the shelf.
to bring into some relation, state, etc.: After the work, they put everything in order and cleaned up after themselves.
to place in the charge or power of a person, institution, etc.: The child welfare agency put her in foster care.
to subject to the endurance or suffering of something: During the Cold War, convicted spies were put to death.
to set to a duty, task, action, etc.: I put him to work setting the table.
to force or drive to some course or action: A handful of archers put the whole army to flight.
to render or translate, as into another language: He put the novel into French.
to provide (words) with music as accompaniment; set: Donovan put Lewis Carroll’s famous poem “Jabberwocky” to music.
to assign or attribute: You put a political interpretation on everything.
to set at a particular place, point, amount, etc., in a scale of estimation: I'd put the distance at five miles.
to bet or wager: They put two dollars on Saucy Lady, the gray mare.
to express or state: To put it mildly, I don't understand.
to apply, as to a use or purpose: During your internship you’ll put your knowledge to practical use.
to set, give, or make: Let’s put an end to all this nonsense right now.
to propose or submit for answer, consideration, deliberation, etc.: I promised to put this question before the committee.
to impose, as a burden, charge, or the like: The government has put a tax on luxury articles.
to invest (often followed by in or into): They put all their money into real estate.
to lay the blame of (usually followed by on, to, etc.): He put my failure to lack of experience.
to throw or cast, especially with a forward motion of the hand when raised close to the shoulder: In track and field, I was able to put the shot 35 feet.
to go, move, or proceed: to put to sea.
Informal. to begin to travel: When the rain stopped, we put for home and got there by noon.
to shoot out or grow, or send forth shoots or sprouts.
a throw or cast, especially one made with a forward motion of the hand when raised close to the shoulder.
Also called put op·tion. Finance. an option that gives the right to sell a fixed amount of a particular stock at a predetermined price within a given time, purchased by a person who expects the stock to decline.: Compare call (def. 52).
put about,
put across,
to cause to be understood or received favorably: She put across her new idea.He puts himself across well.
to do successfully; accomplish: to put a project across.
to be successful in (a form of deception): It was obviously a lie, but he put it across.
put aside / by
to store up; save: He put aside some dried fruit, water, and energy bars in anticipation of the predicted heavy snowfall.I have some money put by for a rainy day.
Also set aside. to put out of the way; place to one side: Put aside your books and come for a walk.
put away,
to put in the designated place for storage: Put away the groceries as soon as you get home.
to save, especially for later use: to put away a few dollars each week.
to discard: Put away those childish notions.
to drink or eat, especially in a large quantity; finish off: to put away a hearty meal after jogging.
to confine in a jail or a mental institution: He was put away for four years.
to put (an animal) to death by humane means: The dog was so badly injured that the veterinarian had to put it away.
put down,
to write down; register; record: I used to put down my thoughts in a personal journal, but now I publish them on my blog.
to enter in a list, as of subscribers or contributors: Put me down for a $10 donation.
to suppress; check; squelch: to put down a rebellion.
to attribute; ascribe: We put your mistakes down to nervousness.
to regard or categorize: He was put down as a chronic complainer.
to produce or execute (something) successfully; throw down: He was the only skater to put down a clean short program.
Informal. to criticize, especially in a contemptuous manner; disrespect: The team leader put down support staff and ignored their contributions.
Informal. to belittle, humiliate, or embarrass: Misogynists put down women to keep them subservient.
to pay as a deposit: The more money you put down, the less you’ll pay in interest.
to store for future use: to put down a case of wine.
to dig or sink, as a well.
to put (an animal) to death by humane means; put to sleep: The horse had to be put down after suffering a catastrophic racing injury on the track.
to land an aircraft or in an aircraft: We put down at Orly after six hours.
put forth,
to bring out; bear; grow: The trees are putting forth new green shoots.
to propose; present: No one has put forth a workable solution.
to bring to public notice; publish: A new interpretation of the doctrine has been put forth.
to exert; exercise: We will have to put forth our best efforts to win.
to set out; depart: Dark clouds threatened as we put forth from the shore.
put forward,
to propose; suggest: I hesitated to put forward my plan.
to present or promote (oneself or another) for a task, role, etc., or as having certain qualities or qualifications: We should put her forward for treasurer. He puts himself forward as an expert in combating antisemitism.
put in,
Also put into. Nautical. to enter a port or harbor, especially for shelter, repairs, or provisions: Viking fleets often put in at Norman ports for provisions.
to interpose; intervene.
to spend (time) as indicated: She put in two hours at the piano almost every day for years.
put in for, to apply for or request (something): I put in for a transfer to another department.
put off,
to postpone; defer: I put off my yearly visit to the eye doctor for a month.
to confuse or perturb; disconcert; repel: We were put off by the book's abusive tone.
to get rid of by delay or evasion: She put him off, claiming to already have plans for the evening.
to lay aside; take off: She put off her shoes with a sigh of relief.
to start out, as on a voyage: We packed a picnic lunch and put off for the little island in the middle of the lake.
to launch (a boat) from shore or from another vessel: They began to put off the lifeboats as the fire spread.
put on,
to clothe oneself with (an article of clothing).
to assume insincerely or falsely; pretend: She put on a smile and choked out a welcome.
to assume; adopt.
to inflict; impose.
to cause to be performed; produce; stage: The troupe put on a play by a little-known writer.
Informal. to tease (a person), especially by pretending the truth of something that is untrue: You can't be serious—you're putting me on, aren't you?
to act in a pretentious or ostentatious manner; exaggerate: All that putting on didn't impress anyone.
put out. See entry at put out.
put over,
to succeed in; accomplish: It will take an exceptional administrator to put over this reorganization.
to postpone; defer: Discussion of this point will be put over until new evidence is introduced.
put through,
to complete successfully; execute: He was not able to put through his project.
to bring about; effect: The proposed revisions have not as yet been put through.
to make a telephone connection for: Put me through to Los Angeles.
to make (a telephone connection): Put a call through to Hong Kong.
to cause to undergo or endure: She's been put through a lot the past year.
put up,
to construct; erect: The town is putting up a new civic center where the old library used to be.
to can (vegetables, fruits, etc.); preserve (jam, jelly, etc.): At the end of every summer they put up jars and jars of tomatoes from their garden.
to set or arrange (the hair).
to provide (money); contribute: A number of people put up $5,000 apiece, getting the fund-raiser off to a very good start.
to accommodate; lodge: Friends offered to put me up for the weekend, and I took them to a fancy restaurant as a thank-you.
to display; show.
to stake (money) to support a wager: He put up fifty bucks to get into the football pool.
to propose as a candidate; nominate: Someone is going to put him up for president.
to offer, especially for public sale: She put up several valuable pieces of art to raise money for the charity.
Archaic. to sheathe one's sword; stop fighting.
put upon, to take unfair advantage of; impose upon: Some of the employees felt put upon when they were asked to work late.
put up to, to provoke; prompt; incite: Someone put him up to calling us.
put up with, to endure; tolerate; bear: I couldn't put up with the noise any longer.
Idioms about put
put it to, Slang.
to overburden with work, blame, etc.: They really put it to him in officer-training school.
to take advantage of; cheat: That used car dealer put it to me good.
put something over on, to take advantage of; deceive: He suspected that his friend had put something over on him, but he had no proof.
put to it, confronted with a problem; having difficulty: We were put to it to find the missing notebook.
stay put, Informal. to remain in the same position; refuse to move: The baby wouldn't stay put, and kept trying to climb out of the playpen.
Origin of put
1synonym study For put
Other words for put
Other words from put
- well-put, adjective
Words that may be confused with put
- put , putt
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use put in a sentence
He was taken up by some boatmen, who had put-to near the bank, and concealed in their boat till the affair was over.
A Journey through the Kingdom of Oude, Volumes I & II | William SleemanShe screwed up her mouth, and put-to more strength; still it would not move.
The Young Trawler | R.M. BallantyneMy master was put to-bed; he was alive, but not able to speak.
Memoirs of Miss Sidney Biddulph | Frances SheridanAs soon as the horses were put-to the marquis took leave, accompanied to the door by the whole party.
An Historical Mystery | Honore de Balzac
British Dictionary definitions for put
/ (pʊt) /
to cause to be (in a position or place): to put a book on the table
to cause to be (in a state, relation, etc): to put one's things in order
(foll by to) to cause (a person) to experience the endurance or suffering (of): to put to death; to put to the sword
to set or commit (to an action, task, or duty), esp by force: he put him to work
to render, transform, or translate: to put into English
to set (words) in a musical form (esp in the phrase put to music)
(foll by at) to estimate: he put the distance at fifty miles
(foll by to) to utilize (for the purpose of): he put his knowledge to good use
(foll by to) to couple a female animal (with a male) for the purpose of breeding: the farmer put his heifer to the bull
to state; express: to put it bluntly
to set or make (an end or limit): he put an end to the proceedings
to present for consideration in anticipation of an answer or vote; propose: he put the question to the committee; I put it to you that one day you will all die
to invest (money) in; give (support) to: he put five thousand pounds into the project
to impart: to put zest into a party
to throw or cast
not know where to put oneself to feel awkward or embarrassed
put paid to to destroy irrevocably and utterly: the manager's disfavour put paid to their hopes for promotion
stay put to refuse to leave; keep one's position
a throw or cast, esp in putting the shot
Also called: put option stock exchange an option to sell a stated amount of securities at a specified price during a specified limited period: Compare call (def. 58)
Origin of put
1Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Other Idioms and Phrases with put
In addition to the idioms beginning with put
- put a bug in someone's ear
- put across
- put a damper on
- put all one's eggs in one basket
- put an end to
- put an idea in one's head
- put a premium on
- put aside
- put a spin on
- put at ease
- put at someone's disposal
- put away
- put back the clock
- put behind one
- put by
- put down
- put down roots
- put forth
- put forward
- put hair on one's chest
- put heads together
- put ideas into someone's head
- put in
- put in a good word
- put in an appearance
- put in mind of
- put in mothballs
- put in one's place
- put in one's two cents
- put in order
- put in the way of
- put into effect
- put into practice
- put into words
- put it mildly
- put it to
- put lead in one's pencil
- put money on
- put off
- put on
- put on a brave face
- put on a brave front
- put on airs
- put on an act
- put on a pedestal
- put one in mind of
- put one into the picture
- put one off
- put one off one's stride
- put one out
- put one's back into it
- put one's back up
- put one's best foot forward
- put one's cards on the table
- put oneself in someone's place
- put oneself out
- put one's face on
- put one's feet up
- put one's finger on
- put one's foot down
- put one's foot in it
- put one's hand to
- put one's head on the block
- put one's house in order
- put one's mind to
- put one's money where one's mouth is
- put one's nose out of joint
- put one's oar in
- put one's shoulder to the wheel
- put on hold
- put on ice
- put on one's thinking cap
- put on the dog
- put on the feed bag
- put on the map
- put on the spot
- put on weight
- put our heads together
- put out
- put out feelers
- put out of business
- put out of one's mind
- put out to grass
- put over
- put paid to
- put right
- put someone away
- put someone down
- put someone in his or her place
- put someone on
- put someone out of his or her misery
- put someone right
- put someone through his or her paces
- put someone up
- put someone up to
- put someone wise
- put that in your pipe and smoke it
- put the arm on
- put the blame on
- put the cart before the horse
- put the fear of God into
- put the finger on
- put the heat on
- put their heads together
- put the kibosh on
- put the lid on
- put the make on
- put the screws on
- put the skids on
- put the skids under
- put through
- put through the wringer
- put to bed
- put to death
- put to flight
- put together
- put to good use
- put to it, be
- put to rights
- put to sea
- put to shame
- put to sleep
- put to the test
- put two and two together
- put up
- put upon, be
- put up or shut up
- put up with
- put wise
- put words in someone's mouth
also see:
- (put) at ease
- (put on a) brave face
- cart before the horse, put
- clamp down (put the clamps on)
- flesh out (put flesh and bone on)
- for (put in one's) two cents
- (put on a) hair shirt
- hard put
- (put) in effect
- (put) in the picture
- lay (put) one's cards on the table
- lay (put) one's hands on
- lay (put) the blame on
- (put someone's) nose out of joint
- not put something past someone
- (put) off the track
- (put) on a pedestal
- (put) out of business
- pull (put over) a fast one
- put one's head on the block
- throw (put) off the scent
Also see underset.
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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