put
Pronunciation: (poot), [key]
— v., adj., n. put, put•ting,
—v.t.
- to move or place (anything) so as to get it into or out of a specific location or position: to put a book on the shelf.
- to bring into some relation, state, etc.: to put everything in order.
- to place in the charge or power of a person, institution, etc.: to put a child in a special school.
- to subject to the endurance or suffering of something: to put convicted spies to death.
- to set to a duty, task, action, etc.: I put him to work setting the table.
- to force or drive to some course or action: to put an army to flight.
- to render or translate, as into another language: He put the novel into French.
- to provide (words) with music as accompaniment; set: to put a poem to music.
- to assign or attribute: You put a political interpretation on everything.
- to set at a particular place, point, amount, etc., in a scale of estimation: I'd put the distance at five miles.
- to bet or wager: to put two dollars on a horse.
- to express or state: To put it mildly, I don't understand.
- to apply, as to a use or purpose: to put one's knowledge to practical use.
- to set, give, or make: to put an end to an ancient custom.
- to propose or submit for answer, consideration, deliberation, etc.: to put a question before a committee.
- to impose, as a burden, charge, or the like: to put a tax on luxury articles.
- to invest (often fol. by in or into): to put one's money in real estate; to put one's savings into securities.
- to lay the blame of (usually fol. by on, to, etc.): He put my failure to lack of experience.
- to throw or cast, esp. with a forward motion of the hand when raised close to the shoulder: to put the shot.
—v.i.
- to go, move, or proceed: to put to sea.
- to begin to travel: to put for home.
- to shoot out or grow, or send forth shoots or sprouts.
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- Naut.to change direction, as on a course.
- to start (a rumor); circulate.
- to inconvenience; trouble.
- to disturb; worry.
- to turn in a different direction.
- She put across her new idea. He puts himself across well.
- to cause to be understood or received favorably:She put across her new idea. He puts himself across well.
- to do successfully; accomplish:to put a project across.
- to be successful in (a form of deception):It was obviously a lie, but he put it across.
- Put aside your books and come for a walk.
- to store up; save.
- Also,set aside.to put out of the way; place to one side:Put aside your books and come for a walk.
- Put away the groceries as soon as you get home.
- to put in the designated place for storage:Put away the groceries as soon as you get home.
- to save, esp. for later use:to put away a few dollars each week.
- to discard:Put away those childish notions.
- to drink or eat, esp. in a large quantity; finish off:to put away a hearty supper after jogging.
- to confine in a jail or a mental institution:He was put away for four years.
- to put to death by humane means:The dog was so badly injured that the veterinarian had to put it away.
- Put me down for a $10 donation.
- to write down; register; record.
- to enter in a list, as of subscribers or contributors:Put me down for a $10 donation.
- to suppress; check; squelch:to put down a rebellion.
- to attribute; ascribe:We put your mistakes down to nervousness.
- to regard or categorize:He was put down as a chronic complainer.
- Informal.to criticize, esp. in a contemptuous manner; disparage; belittle.
- Informal.to humble, humiliate, or embarrass.
- to pay as a deposit.
- to store for future use:to put down a case of wine.
- to dig or sink, as a well.
- Brit.to put (an animal) to death; put away.
- to land an aircraft or in an aircraft:We put down at Orly after six hours.
- The trees are putting forth new green shoots.
- to bring out; bear; grow:The trees are putting forth new green shoots.
- to propose; present:No one has put forth a workable solution.
- to bring to public notice; publish:A new interpretation of the doctrine has been put forth.
- to exert; exercise:We will have to put forth our best efforts to win.
- to set out; depart:Dark clouds threatened as we put forth from the shore.
- I hesitated to put forward my plan.
- to propose; advance:I hesitated to put forward my plan.
- to nominate, promote, or support, as for a position:We put him forward for treasurer.
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- Also,put into.Naut.to enter a port or harbor, esp. for shelter, repairs, or provisions.
- to interpose; intervene.
- to spend (time) as indicated.
- put in for, to apply for or request (something): I put in for a transfer to another department.
- They really put it to him in officer-training school.
- to overburden with work, blame, etc.:They really put it to him in officer-training school.
- to take advantage of; cheat:That used car dealer put it to me good.
- We were put off by the book's abusive tone.
- to postpone; defer.
- to confuse or perturb; disconcert; repel:We were put off by the book's abusive tone.
- to get rid of by delay or evasion.
- to lay aside; take off.
- to start out, as on a voyage.
- to launch (a boat) from shore or from another vessel:They began to put off the lifeboats as the fire spread.
- You can't be serious
- to clothe oneself with (an article of clothing).
- to assume insincerely or falsely; pretend.
- to assume; adopt.
- to inflict; impose.
- to cause to be performed; produce; stage.
- Informal.to tease (a person), esp. by pretending the truth of something that is untrue:You can't be serious--you're putting me on, aren't you?
- to act in a pretentious or ostentatious manner; exaggerate:All that putting on didn't impress anyone.
- to take pains; go to trouble or expense: She has certainly put herself out to see that everyone is comfortable.
- He was put out when I missed our appointment.
- to extinguish, as a fire.
- to confuse; embarrass.
- to be vexed or annoyed:He was put out when I missed our appointment.
- to subject to inconvenience.
- Baseball,Softball,Cricket.to cause to be removed from an opportunity to reach base or score; retire.
- to publish.
- to go out to sea.
- to manufacture; prepare; produce.
- to exert; apply:They were putting out their best efforts.
- Slang(vulgar). (of a woman) to engage in coitus.
- It will take an exceptional administrator to put over this reorganization.
- to succeed in; accomplish:It will take an exceptional administrator to put over this reorganization.
- to postpone; defer:Discussion of this point will be put over until new evidence is introduced.
- to take advantage of; deceive: He suspected that his friend had put something over on him, but he had no proof.
- He was not able to put through his project.
- to complete successfully; execute:He was not able to put through his project.
- to bring about; effect:The proposed revisions have not as yet been put through.
- to make a telephone connection for:Put me through to Los Angeles.
- to make (a telephone connection):Put a call through to Hong Kong.
- to cause to undergo or endure:She's been put through a lot the past year.
- to be confronted with a problem; have difficulty: We were put to it to find the missing notebook.
- Someone is going to put him up for president.
- to construct; erect.
- to can (vegetables, fruits, etc.); preserve (jam, jelly, etc.).
- to set or arrange (the hair).
- to provide (money); contribute.
- to accommodate; lodge.
- to display; show.
- to stake (money) to support a wager.
- to propose as a candidate; nominate:Someone is going to put him up for president.
- to offer, esp. for public sale.
- Archaic.to sheathe one's sword; stop fighting.
- to take unfair advantage of; impose upon: Some of the employees felt put upon when they were asked to work late.
- to provoke; prompt; incite: Someone put him up to calling us.
- to endure; tolerate; bear: I couldn't put up with the noise any longer.
—adj.
- to remain in the same position; refuse to move: The baby wouldn't stay put, and kept trying to climb out of the playpen.
—n.
- a throw or cast, esp. one made with a forward motion of the hand when raised close to the shoulder.
- Also calledan option that gives the right to sell a fixed amount of a particular stock at a predetermined price within a given time, purchased by a person who expects the stock to decline. Cf.(def. 65).
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.