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.

to go, move, or proceed

to put to sea.

Informal . to begin to travel

to put for home.

to shoot out or grow, or send forth shoots or sprouts.

a throw or cast, esp. one made with a forward motion of the hand when raised close to the shoulder.

Also called put option. Finance . an 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. Compare call ( def. 52 ) . ?

put about,

Nautical . to change direction, as on a course.

to start (a rumor); circulate.

to inconvenience; trouble.

to disturb; worry.

to turn in a different direction.

put across,

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 or by,

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,

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 down,

to write down; register; record.

to enter in a list, as of subscribers or contributors

Put me down for a

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.

to put (an animal) to death; put away.

to land an aircraft or in an aircraft

We put down at Orly after six hours.

put forth,

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.

put forward,

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.

put in,

Also, put into. Nautical . 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.

put off,

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.

put on,

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 seriousyou're putting me on, aren't you?

to act in a pretentious or ostentatious manner; exaggerate

All that putting on didn't impress anyone.

put out,

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.

put over,

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.

put through,

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.

put up,

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.

put upon, to take unfair advantage of; impose upon

Some of the employees felt put upon when they were asked to work late.

put up to, to provoke; prompt; incite

Someone put him up to calling us.

put up with, to endure; tolerate; bear

I couldn't put up with the noise any longer.

put it to

Slang .

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.

put oneself out

to take pains; go to trouble or expense

She has certainly put herself out to see that everyone is comfortable.

put something over on

to take advantage of; deceive

He suspected that his friend had put something over on him, but he had no proof.

put to it

to be confronted with a problem; have difficulty

We were put to it to find the missing notebook.

stay put

Informal . to remain in the same position; refuse to move

The baby wouldn't stay put, and kept trying to climb out of the playpen.

verb

put