put Definition
put (po̵ot)
transitive verb put, put′·ting
- to drive or send by a blow, shot, or thrust to put a bullet in a target
- to propel with an overhand thrust from the shoulder to put the shot
- to make do something to put a dog through its tricks
- to force put an army to flight
- to cause to be in a certain position or place; place; set put the box here
- to cause to be in a specified condition, situation, relation, etc. put her at ease
- to make undergo; subject put it to a trial
- to impose put a tax on luxuries
- to bring to bear (on); apply (to) to put one's mind on one's work
- to bring in or add; introduce; inject to put life into a party
- to bring about; effect to put a stop to cheating
- to attribute; assign; ascribe to put the blame where it belongs
- to express; state put it in plain language
- to translate
- to present for consideration, decision, etc. to put the question
- to estimate as being: with at to put the cost at $50
- to fix or set (a price, value, etc.) on
- to adapt or fit (words) to music
- to bet (money) on
- to invest (money) in or into
Etymology: ME putten < or akin to OE potian, to push: mod. senses prob. < Scand, as in Dan putte, Swed dial. putta, to put away, push, akin to OE pyttan, to sting, goad
intransitive verb
to take one's course; move; go (in, out, back, etc.)
noun
- a cast or thrust; esp., the act of putting the shot
- an option to sell a given quantity of a stock, commodity, etc. at a specified price and within a specified time: puts are purchased in anticipation of, or to protect against, a decline in the price of the stock, commodity, etc.
adjective
Informal immovable; fixed stay put
put Idioms
put about
- to change the course of (a sailing vessel) to another tack
- to move in another direction
put across
Informal- ☆ to cause to be understood or accepted
- to carry out with success
- to carry out by trickery
put ahead
to reset the hands of (a clock) to a later time
put aside
or put by- to reserve for later use
- to give up; discard
put away
- put aside
- Informal to consign to a jail, mental hospital, etc.
- Informal to consume (food or drink)
- to kill (a pet) to prevent suffering
put back
- to replace
- to reset the hands of (a clock) to an earlier time
- ☆ to demote (a pupil)
put down
- to crush; repress; squelch
- to deprive of authority, power, or position; degrade
- to write down; record
- to attribute (to)
- to consider as; classify
- to land or make a landing in an aircraft
- put away (sense ) (see phrase above)
- ☆ Slang to belittle, reject, criticize, or humiliate
put forth
- to grow (leaves, shoots, etc.)
- to bring into action; exert
- to propose; offer
- to bring out; publish; circulate
- to leave a port
put forward
to advance or present (a plan, etc.)
put in
- to enter a port or harbor
- to enter (a claim, request, etc.)
- to interpose; insert
- Informal to spend (time) in a specified manner
put in for
to request or apply for
put it on
Slang to make a pretentious show; pretend or exaggerate
put it over on
☆Informal to deceive; trick
put it there!
☆Slang shake hands with me: an expression of agreement, reconciliation, etc.
put off
- to leave until later; postpone; delay
- to discard
- to evade; divert
- to perturb; upset; distress
put on
- to clothe, adorn, or cover oneself with
- to take on; add to put on a few pounds
- to assume or pretend
- to apply (a brake, etc.)
- to stage (a play)
- ☆ Slang to fool (someone) by playing on the person's credulity; hoax
put on to
☆to inform (someone) about (something)
put out
- to expel; dismiss
- to extinguish (a fire or light)
- ☆ to spend (money)
- to disconcert; confuse
- to distress; ruffle; vex
- to inconvenience
- to publish
- to produce and distribute
- to supply, offer, or display
- Slang to engage in sexual intercourse, often promiscuously: usually said of a woman
- Baseball to cause (a batter or runner) to be out by a fielding play
put over
- to postpone; delay
- ☆ Informal put across
put paid to
Brit. to put an end to; terminate
put something over on
☆Informal to deceive; trick
put through
- ☆ to perform successfully; carry out
- to cause to do or undergo
- to connect (someone) by telephone with someone else
put to it
to place in a difficult situation; press hard
put up
- to offer, as for consideration, decision, auction, etc.
- to offer as a candidate
- to preserve or can (fruits, vegetables, etc.)
- to erect; build
- to lodge, or provide lodgings for
- ☆
- to advance or provide (money)
- Slang to do or produce what is needed or wanted
- to arrange (the hair) with curlers, bobby pins, etc.
- to carry on to put up a struggle
- Informal to incite (a person) to some action
- to sheathe (one's sword)
put upon
to impose on; victimize
put up with
to bear or suffer patiently; tolerate
put Synonyms
put
v.
put Finance Definition
put Usage Examples
Object
- pressure: By having core modules students start to put pressure on staff to give them the opportunity to practice skills.
- emphasis: Some argue the results don't necessarily mean much, given the way foreign schools may put more emphasis on the contest.
- strain: The weak coupling in this example puts a further strain on the reader.
- money: The aim is to encourage your child to put money into this little box during Lent.
- end: Put the pointy end of the balloon into the tub.
Preposition: on
weight: Ignore the fact you've put on weight and discover how a Big Brother contestant reveals how she lost three stone in a fortnight.
Followed by an intransitive particle
- aside: However, it would be wrong to assume that employers and unions put aside their differences during the war.
- off: The Brewery's move from Vauxhall to Devon has been put off till at least December.
- down: And it's hard to put down once you get going.
- up: Customers stand to put up to £ 50 in their pockets just by changing energy supplier.
- on: Indeed, he is notable for the wide range of the exhibitions he has put on.
Followed by a transitive particle
- aside: You've turned into your dad the day you put aside a thin piece of wood to specifically stir paint with. !
- down: You will almost always need a deposit of some sort and the more you can put down the better.
- off: Do not attempt to sing it puts the choir off.
- up: The Jedi dying was handled well, although you think they could have put up a bit more of a fight.
Infinitive complement
sleep: I walked the two miles back home having made this decision to have a young, otherwise healthy dog put to sleep.
Preposition: under
spotlight: BIDS is put under the spotlight by Isobel Stark.
Preposition: in
- place: We have put in place short-term measures to reduce the amount of watering we are doing.
- appearance: Alam just put in a brief appearance this morning.
Particle object:
poster: We put up a poster asking for help with my name as the contact.
Browse dictionary entries near put
- ‹ pustule
- ‹ pustulate
- ‹ pustular
- ‹ pustulant
- ‹ pussyfoot
- ‹ pussycat
- ‹ pussy willow
- ‹ pussy-whipped
- ‹ pussy
- ‹ pussley
- put about ›
- put across or over ›
- put aside ›
- put away ›
- put back ›
- put by ›
- put-call parity ›
- put-call ratio ›
- put-down ›
- put emphasis on ›

