Dictionary Home » The American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms » put upon, be

put upon, be

put upon, be idiom

Be taken advantage of, be imposed on, as in Bob was always put upon by his friends, who knew he couldn't say no. It also is put as feel put upon, as in We felt quite put upon because the entire family insisted on spending every holiday at our house. [Mid-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.