put aside

put aside idiom
  1. Also, put by or away. Save, store up for future use, as in We put aside all the toys for our grandchildren, or James put by dozens of cans of tomatoes this year, or She put away some of her salary every month. The first two terms date from the late 1700s, the third from the late 1800s.
  2. Also, set aside. Place out of the way, as in The clerk put the bruised fruit aside to sell at reduced prices, or We set aside the outdoor furniture before we water the lawn. [Late 1800s]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

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