put
vb , puts, putting, put mainly tr
1 to cause to be (in a position or place)
to put a book on the table
2 to cause to be (in a state, relation, etc.)
to put one's things in order
3 foll by: to to cause (a person) to experience the endurance or suffering (of)
to put to death, to put to the sword
4 to set or commit (to an action, task, or duty), esp. by force
he put him to work
5 to render, transform, or translate
to put into English
6 to set (words) in a musical form (esp. in the phrase put to music)
7 foll by: at to estimate
he put the distance at fifty miles
8 foll by: to to utilize (for the purpose of)
he put his knowledge to good use
9 foll by: to to couple a female animal (with a male) for the purpose of breeding
the farmer put his heifer to the bull
10 to state; express
to put it bluntly
11 to set or make (an end or limit)
he put an end to the proceedings
12 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
13 to invest (money) in; give (support) to
he put five thousand pounds into the project
14 to impart
to put zest into a party
16 ♦
not know where to put oneself to feel awkward or embarrassed
17 ♦
put paid to to destroy irrevocably and utterly
the manager's disfavour put paid to their hopes for promotion
18 ♦
stay put to refuse to leave; keep one's position
n
19 a throw or cast, esp. in putting the shot
20 (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 →
58 (See also)
→
put about →
put across →
put aside →
put away →
put back →
put by →
put down →
put forth →
put forward →
put in →
put off →
put on →
put on to →
put out →
put over →
put through →
put up →
put upon (C12 puten to push; related to Old English potian to push, Norwegian, Icelandic pota to poke)
put about
vb adv
1 (Nautical) to change course or cause to change course
we put about and headed for home
2 tr to make widely known
he put about the news of the air disaster
3 tr; usually passive to disconcert or disturb
she was quite put about by his appearance
put across
vb tr
1 adv to communicate in a comprehensible way
he couldn't put things across very well
2 ♦
put one across
Informal to get (someone) to accept or believe a claim, excuse, etc., by deception
they put one across their teacher
put aside
vb tr, adv
1 to move (an object, etc.) to one side, esp. in rejection
2 to store up; save
to put money aside for a rainy day
3 to ignore or disregard
let us put aside our differences
put away
vb tr, adv
1 to return (something) to the correct or proper place
he put away his books
2 to save
to put away money for the future
3 to lock up in a prison, mental institution, etc.
they put him away for twenty years
4 to eat or drink, esp. in large amounts
5 to put to death, because of old age or illness
the dog had to be put away
put back
vb tr, adv
1 to return to its former place
2 to move to a later time or date
the wedding was put back a fortnight
3 to delay or impede the progress of
the strike put back production severely
put by
vb tr, adv to set aside (money, goods, etc.) to be kept for the future; store; save
put down
vb tr, adv
1 to make a written record of
2 to repress
to put down a rebellion
3 to consider; account
they put him down for an ignoramus
4 to attribute
I put the mistake down to his inexperience
5 to put to death, because of old age or illness
the vet put the cat down
6 to table on the agenda
the MPs put down a motion on the increase in crime
8 to dismiss, reject, or humiliate
n
♦
put-down
9 a cruelly crushing remark
put forth
vb tr, adv
Formal
2 (of a plant) to produce or bear (leaves, branches, shoots, etc.)
put forward
vb tr, adv
2 to offer the name of; nominate
put in
vb adv
1 intr (Nautical) to bring a vessel into port, esp. for a brief stay
we put in for fresh provisions
2 often foll by: for to apply or cause to apply (for a job, in a competition, etc.)
3 tr to submit
he put in his claims form
4 to intervene with (a remark) during a conversation
5 tr to devote (time, effort, etc.) to a task
he put in three hours overtime last night
6 tr to establish or appoint
he put in a manager
7 tr (Cricket) to cause (a team, esp. the opposing one) to bat
England won the toss and put the visitors in to bat
n
♦
put-in
8 (Rugby) the act of throwing the ball into a scrum
put off
vb
1 tr, adv to postpone or delay
they have put off the dance until tomorrow
2 tr, adv to evade (a person) by postponement or delay
they tried to put him off, but he came anyway
3 tr, adv to confuse; disconcert
he was put off by her appearance
4 tr, prep to cause to lose interest in or enjoyment of
the accident put him off driving
5 intr, adv (Nautical) to be launched off from shore or from a ship
we put off in the lifeboat towards the ship
6 tr, adv
Archaic to remove (clothes)
n
♦
putoff
7 (Chiefly U.S.) a pretext or delay
put on
vb tr, mainly adv
1 to clothe oneself in
to put on a coat
2 usually passive to adopt (an attitude or feeling) insincerely
his misery was just put on
3 to present or stage (a play, show, etc.)
4 to increase or add
she put on weight, the batsman put on fifty runs before lunch
5 to cause (an electrical device) to function
6 also prep to wager (money) on a horse race, game, etc.
he put ten pounds on the favourite
7 also prep to impose as a burden or levy
to put a tax on cars
8 (Cricket) to cause (a bowler) to bowl
a to connect (a person) by telephone
b Slang to mock or tease
n
♦
put-on
Slang (chiefly U.S. and Canadian)
10 a hoax or piece of mockery
11 an affected manner or mode of behaviour
put on to
vb tr, prep
1 to connect by telephone
2 to inform (someone) of (a person's location or activities)
I'll put the police on to you if you don't stop
3 to tell (a person) about (someone or something beneficial)
can you put me on to a cheap supermarket?
put out
vb tr, adv
b to confound or disturb; confuse
2 to extinguish or douse (a fire, light, etc.)
he put out the fire
3 to poke forward
to put out one's tongue
4 to be or present a source of inconvenience or annoyance to (a person)
I hope I'm not putting you out
5 to issue or publish; broadcast
the authorities put out a leaflet
7 to dislocate
he put out his shoulder in the accident
8 to show or exert
the workers put out all their energy in the campaign
9 to pass, give out (work to be done) at different premises
10 to lend (money) at interest
11 (Cricket) to dismiss (a player or team)
12 (Baseball) to cause (a batter or runner) to be out by a fielding play
n
♦
putout
13 (Baseball) a play in which the batter or runner is put out
put over
vb tr, adv
1 Informal to communicate (facts, information, etc.) comprehensibly
he puts his thoughts over badly
2 (Chiefly U.S.) to postpone; defer
the match was put over a week (Brit. equivalent)
put off
3 ♦
put (a fast) one over on
Informal to get (someone) to accept or believe a claim, excuse, etc., by deception
he put one over on his boss
put-put
Informal
n
1 a light chugging or popping sound, as made by a petrol engine
2 a vehicle powered by an engine making such a sound
vb , -puts, -putting, -putted
3 intr to make or travel along with such a sound
put through
vb tr, mainly adv
1 to carry out to a conclusion
he put through his plan
2 also prep to organize the processing of
she put through his application to join the organization
3 to connect by telephone
4 to make (a telephone call)
put up
vb adv, mainly tr
1 to build; erect
to put up a statue
2 to accommodate or be accommodated at
can you put me up for tonight?
4 to submit or present (a plan, case, etc.)
5 to offer
to put a house up for sale
6 to provide or supply; give
to put up a good fight
7 to provide (money) for; invest in
they put up five thousand for the new project
8 to preserve or can (jam, etc.)
9 to pile up (long hair) on the head in any of several styles
10 also intr to nominate or be nominated as a candidate, esp. for a political or society post
he put his wife up as secretary, he put up for president
11 Archaic to return (a weapon) to its holder, as a sword to its sheath
put up your pistol!
a to inform or instruct (a person) about (tasks, duties, etc.)
b to urge or goad (a person) on to; incite to
13 ♦
put up with
Informal to endure; tolerate
adj
♦
put-up
14 dishonestly or craftily prearranged or conceived (esp. in the phrase put-up job)
put upon
vb intr, prep, usually passive
1 to presume on (a person's generosity, good nature, etc.); take advantage of
he's always being put upon
2 to impose hardship on; maltreat
he was sorely put upon
shot put
n
1 an athletic event in which contestants hurl or put a heavy metal ball or shot as far as possible
2 a single put of the shot
♦
shot-putter n