put1 // v. & n.

v. (putting; past and past part. put)

• 1 tr. move to or cause to be in a specified place or position (put it in your pocket; put the children to bed; put your signature here).
• 2 tr. bring into a specified condition, relation, or state (puts me in great difficulty; an accident put the car out of action).
• 3 tr. a (often foll. by on) impose or assign (put a tax on beer; where do you put the blame?). b (foll. by on, to) impose or enforce the existence of (put a veto on it; put a stop to it).
• 4 tr. a cause (a person) to go or be, habitually or temporarily (put them at their ease; put them on the right track). b refl. imagine (oneself) in a specified situation (put yourself in my shoes).
• 5 tr. (foll. by for) substitute (one thing for another).
• 6 tr. express (a thought or idea) in a specified way (to put it mildly).
• 7 tr. (foll. by at) estimate (an amount etc. at a specified amount) (put the cost at £50).
• 8 tr. (foll. by into) express or translate in (words, or another language).
• 9 tr. (foll. by into) invest (money in an asset, e.g. land).
• 10 tr. (foll. by on) stake (money) on (a horse etc.).
• 11 tr. (foll. by to) apply or devote to a use or purpose (put it to good use).
• 12 tr. (foll. by to) submit for consideration or attention (let me put it to you another way; shall now put it to a vote).
• 13 tr. (foll. by to) subject (a person) to (death, suffering, etc.).
• 14 tr. throw (esp. a shot or weight) as an athletic sport or exercise.
• 15 tr. (foll. by to) couple (an animal) with (another of the opposite sex) for breeding.
• 16 intr. (foll. by back, off, out, etc.) (of a ship etc.) proceed or follow a course in a specified direction.
• 17 intr. (foll. by in, out of) US (of a river) flow in a specified direction.

n.

• 1 a throw of the shot or weight.
• 2 Stock Exch. the option of selling stock at a fixed price at a given date.

not know where to put oneself feel deeply embarrassed.

put about

• 1 spread (information, rumour, etc.).
• 2 Naut. turn round; put (a ship) on the opposite tack.
• 3 esp. Sc. & N.Engl. trouble, distress.

• 1 make acceptable or effective.
• 2 express in an understandable way.

• 1 put (a thing) back in the place where it is normally kept.
• 2 lay (money etc.) aside for future use.
• 3 a confine or imprison. b commit to a home or mental institution.
• 4 colloq. consume (food and drink), esp. in large quantities.
• 5 put (an old or sick animal) to death.

• 1 restore to its proper or former place.
• 2 change (a planned event) to a later date or time.
• 3 move back the hands of (a clock or watch).
• 4 check the advance of.

put a bold etc. face on it see face.

put the boot in add to the comments, usu bad, of others, accuse.

put by lay (money etc.) aside for future use.

put down

• 1 suppress by force or authority.
• 2 colloq. snub or humiliate.
• 3 record or enter in writing.
• 4 enter the name of (a person) on a list, esp. as a member or subscriber.
• 5 (foll. by as, for) account or reckon.
• 6 (foll. by to) attribute (put it down to bad planning).
• 7 put (an old or sick animal) to death.
• 8 preserve or store (eggs etc.) for future use.
• 9 pay (a specified sum) as a deposit.
• 10 put (a baby) to bed.
• 11 land (an aircraft).
• 12 stop to let (passengers) get off.

put an end to stop, end or finish.

put one's finger on discovers the truth, remembers.

put the finger on point out, show the person (guilty etc.).

put one's foot down assert authority, be firm.

put one's foot in it make a bad mistake, misjudgement.

put forth

• 1 (of a plant) send out (buds or leaves).
• 2 formal submit or put into circulation.

• 1 suggest or propose.
• 2 advance the hands of (a clock or watch).
• 3 (often refl.) put into a prominent position; draw attention to.

put one's hands on = lay one's hands on.

put in

• 1 a enter or submit (a claim etc.). b (foll. by for) submit a claim for (a specified thing).
• 2 (foll. by for) be a candidate for (an appointment, election, etc.).
• 3 spend (time).
• 4 perform (a spell of work) as part of a whole.
• 5 interpose (a remark, blow, etc.).

put a person in mind of make someone think of (another person or thing).

put it across colloq. get the better of, deceive (a person).

put it to a person (often foll. by that + clause) challenge a person to deny.

put one's mind to begin working on or at.

put off

• 1 a postpone. b postpone an engagement with (a person).
• 2 (often foll. by with) evade (a person) with an excuse etc.
• 3 hinder or dissuade.
• 4 Brit. offend, disconcert; cause (a person) to lose interest in something.

• 1 clothe oneself with.
• 2 cause (an electrical device, light, etc.) to function.
• 3 cause (transport) to be available.
• 4 stage (a play, show, etc.).
• 5 advance the hands of (a clock or watch).
• 6 a pretend to be affected by (an emotion). b assume, take on (a character or appearance). c (put it on) exaggerate one's feelings etc.
• 7 increase one's weight by (a specified amount).
• 8 send (a cricketer) on to bowl.
• 9 (foll. by to) make aware of or put in touch with (put us on to their new accountant).

put one across (or over) (foll. by on) colloq. get the better of; trick.

put out

• 1 a (often as put out adj.) disconcert or annoy. b (often refl.) inconvenience (don't put yourself out).
• 2 extinguish (a fire or light).
• <li>3 cause (a batsman or side) to be out.
• 4 dislocate (a joint).
• 5 exert (strength etc.).
• 6 lend (money) at interest.
• 7 allocate (work) to be done off the premises.
• 8 blind (a person's eyes).

put over

• 1 make acceptable or effective.
• 2 express in an understandable way.
• 3 US postpone.
• 4 (often foll. by on) US achieve by deceit.

put the screws on pressurise a person to perform something.

put a sock in it stop it or pack it in, cease.

put store by trust or have faith in.

put through

• 1 carry out or complete (a task or transaction).
• 2 (often foll. by to) connect (a person) by telephone to another.

put to bed close a topic, job or interest.

put to flight frighten off.

put together

• 1 assemble (a whole) from parts.
• 2 combine (parts) to form a whole.

put two and two togetherMake things add up, to make sense, understand.

put under render unconscious by anaesthetic etc.

put up

• 1 build or erect.
• 2 a raise (a hand) to answer or ask a question). b raise (one's hands) to indicate surrender.
• 3 esp. Brit. increase (a price etc.).
• 4 take or provide with accommodation (friends put me up for the night).
• 5 engage in (a fight, struggle, etc.) as a form of resistance.
• 6 present (a proposal).
• 7 a present oneself for election. b propose for election.
• 8 provide (money) as a backer in an enterprise.
• 9 display (a notice).
• 10 publish (banns).
• 11 offer for sale or competition.
• 12 cause (game) to rise from cover.
• 13 put (a sword) back in its sheath.

put upon (usu. in passive; hyphenated when attrib.) colloq. make unfair or excessive demands on; take advantage of (a person) (was sorely put upon).

put up or shut up colloq. defend or justify oneself or remain silent.

put a person up to

• 1 inform or instruct a person about.
• 2 (usu. foll. by verbal noun) instigate a person in (put them up to stealing the money).

put up with endure, tolerate; submit to.

put the wind up see wind1.

put a person wise show person the truth or error of their ways.