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to put

to put

1.0
Move something to a particular place or position
  • verb
  • /pʊt/
translation icon : poner
  • Please, for the love of God, put your shoes on.
  • put together
  • put in place
  • put aside

You just want to put it all over.

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Examples

  • You should put that on a t-shirt.

  • Can you put the books on the shelf next to the window?

  • So now we're just going to put the top on right.

  • So go like this, put this guy on top.

  • So we're going to put this on here.

  • It's actually sitting exactly where I put it.

  • Instructor: "Students, please put your instruments down while we introduce a new rhythm skill."

    Academic text (2015)
  • Many of the reference books were re-cataloged and put back into student circulation.

    Academic text (2013)
  • Here, why don't you put this in the trunk, Amy.

  • Please put your shoes back in the closet after you wear them.

Synonyms

to place
vsto put
1.0

To put something in a particular position or job

is the general action of moving something to a location
to lay
vsto put
1.0

To put something down carefully so it is flat on a surface

is general placing that does not require a flat form
to put in
vsto put
989 1.7

Place something inside another thing or space

is general moving or placing not limited to insertion
to put down
vsto put
812 1.0

To lower something from your hands onto a surface

refers more broadly to moving or placing without lowering action
to locate
vsto put
599 3.0

To put something in a particular place, for example an office or factory

is general placement without a formal assignment or establishment
to set
vsto put
575 1.0

To take place in a particular time or place

is broader, meaning moving or placing without precise arrangement
to position
vsto put
159 2.5

To put something in a particular place carefully

is general placement without special careful arranging
to situate
vsto put
61 3.9

Put someone or something in a certain place

is moving or placing without the formal act of determining position
to stick in
vsto put
45 3.0

Push something into another thing so it goes inside

is general placement without the forceful pushing into something
to deposit
vsto put
44 2.5

To put something down carefully in a particular place

is a general act of moving without stressing careful firmness
to reposition
vsto put
23 3.9

To move something to another place

is initial placement rather than moving between locations
to place down
vsto put
1 1.7

Put something on a table or chair so it rests

is broader, meaning to move or place without implying settling
to emplace
vsto put
  • Specialized
1 9.1

To put something firmly in a chosen place, often for machines or heavy equipment

is general placement without the firm or technical positioning aspect

Antonyms

1.5

To move something or someone away from a place

Idioms

To challenge people or things in hard situations to show their ability

38 2.8

To earn enough money to support yourself or your family

15 3.8

Figure out what happened from obvious facts

To focus all your attention and effort on achieving something

To say that someone said something when they did not

Tell someone to be quiet

To force someone to do something by threatening them

To support your words by giving money or doing work

To drive or work as fast as possible, often to finish something

To keep moving forward step by step despite problems

6 7.7

Tell someone to do what they say or stop talking

Imagine being in another person's situation to understand their feelings

Make a very good impression when you meet someone or start something new

Risk all your money or chances on one plan

To do things in the wrong order

Show support by giving money or doing something to help

Make people very afraid and make them respect you by showing power

To be completely open and honest about your plans or feelings

To say or do something embarrassing by accident

2 9.5

Raise your fists to get ready to fight or defend yourself

Make someone feel tougher or more manly, often said as a joke

To start working very hard to reach a goal

Offer money for catching or killing a person

To take a big risk to help another person or group

1 8.3

Unable to manage easily because you have little money or help

Stop arguing and agree to work together

To try to undo something you cannot change

Arrange your personal, money, and legal matters before illness or death

1 8.4

To make small changes to something bad so it looks better without fixing the real problem

1 9.9

Act in a showy way to impress people

put her there
  • Archaic
1 9.8

Hold out your hand to ask for a friendly handshake

To say you want to be chosen for a job or position

To be ordinary like other people

Accept this fact even if you do not like it

Try to make things the way they were after they changed

Tell someone about an idea so they will think about it later

To cause a plan to fail or have big problems

To give someone money or a job so they can live

To say the same idea in another way

Make facts clear by showing proof

to put foot to ass
  • Offensive
9.9

Take strong action to make someone work or change

To work as hard as you can, often more than expected

7.4

Act confident and serious to hide nerves before a challenge

7.8

To try as hard as possible to do something

To say something embarrassing without meaning to

To yell at or threaten someone to make them try harder

To give money willingly, often when it is not needed

To gain weight and become healthier after being thin or sick

To make someone angry or ready to argue

Speak badly about someone or something to other people

To say something sharp to hurt or criticize someone

To attack or criticize someone who is already in trouble

Phrasal Verbs

989 1.7

Place something inside another thing or space

988 2.8

To make something by joining parts, like a model, plan or team

812 1.0

To lower something from your hands onto a surface

679 1.0

To dress yourself in clothes or wear things like makeup

449 1.0

Return something to the place where it was before

288 4.3

To accept something unpleasant without complaining

272 2.9

To spend time, effort, or care on work

255 3.6

Publish something like a book or magazine for people to buy

225 2.0

To place something in its usual place for storage

223 2.8

To organize and present an event or show

172 2.5

Install something so it stays in place and is ready to use

to stay put
  • Informal
133 2.0

Remain in the same place without moving

To make something stop completely

117 2.4

To write something so you do not forget it

115 5.8

To lock someone in prison or a secure place

114 2.0

Make a fire, light, or cigarette stop burning

113 2.9

Delay something until a later time

103 3.4

To stop thinking about something for a short time

94 5.5

To kill an animal to stop its suffering

83 3.6

To drive a vehicle so it gets more miles

81 3.7

Give money needed for a purpose

Make someone or something start working by giving tasks

75 3.4

Offer strong resistance, for example by fighting

To suggest an idea or plan for others to consider

65 1.8

To place food or a kettle on a heat source to cook it

To end something so it no longer happens

60 3.2

Make a formal request or application for something like a job

59 3.0

Build something like a wall or sign

58 2.2

To gain weight and become heavier

to put down
  • Offensive
55 4.9

To make someone feel unimportant by saying bad things about them

54 2.4

Place a sign or notice so people can see it

54 3.8

Interrupt a conversation to make a short comment or question

54 3.0

To start music or a recording so people can hear it

to put to death
  • Offensive
46 7.6

To kill someone as a legal punishment

45 4.1

To try hard to do something

45 3.4

To leave people or things at a place from a vehicle

to put up
  • Informal
43 3.3

Let someone stay in your home for a short time

43 5.8

Cause someone trouble by making things difficult for them

41 5.3

Force someone to answer or act without time to prepare when they feel uncomfortable

To connect someone on the phone to the person or service they want

Find the exact reason for something hard to explain

34 1.7

To add something to a building to make it larger

33 3.2

To send someone to a hospital for treatment because of illness or injury

Reserve a place for someone in an event, for example a class

To make a place, product, or person well known for the first time

to put down
  • Specialized
28 5.8

To land a plane in an emergency

26 2.1

Keep or save something for future use

Send a person to prison as punishment

26 6.3

Cause a person or animal to become unconscious, often using medicine

25 5.8

Kill a sick or very old animal to stop its pain

24 2.4

To move something out of the way so you do not use it for now

To help someone see how important something really is by comparing it with other things or giving background

To make a plan or change happen

22 3.7

Make someone not want to do something

Make someone lose interest in doing something

to put on
  • Informal
19 7.2

To trick someone, often as a joke

18 3.5

Offer something for sale at an auction

18 3.4

Hold a part of your body away from you, like a hand

to put under
  • Specialized
17 6.0

Give someone medicine to make them unconscious before an operation

to put to sleep
  • Baby Talk
15 2.5

Help a child or baby fall asleep in bed

to put out
  • Offensive
14 9.9

Agree to have sex, usually said about a woman

to put out
  • Jargon
13 7.3

Cause a player to be out in a game like baseball

11 5.8

To delay a plan or project for a while

11 5.8

Make something less fun or exciting

To slow down an activity or stop it

10 6.0

Admire someone so much you think they are perfect

to put out
  • Specialized
10 7.3

Make someone sleep so they do not feel pain during an operation

10 8.6

Try to attract someone by flirting or making sexual advances

9 7.2

Make someone feel ashamed or less important by showing your power

9 6.4

To stop something from continuing or becoming known

Raise your hands to show you are not dangerous

8 3.7

To explain an idea so people understand it

8 4.2

To start living in one place for a long time and make it your home

Compounds

put-on
  • Informal
8 7.6

Seems real but is actually false

7 7.2

Other people make someone do more than is fair

put-down
  • Offensive
5 6.6

A remark that makes someone feel small or embarrassed

5 2.7

A track and field event where athletes throw a heavy metal ball as far as possible

put-on
  • Informal
4 7.5

A false act or story that tries to trick people, often to make them laugh

put option
  • Specialized
3 8.3

A contract that gives you the choice to sell an investment at a fixed price within a set time

put-up job
  • Informal
1 8.5

A secret plan to trick people by making something seem accidental

put-up
  • Informal
1 8.1

Arranged secretly to make something look real but trick people

put-put
  • Specialized
9.2

A small engine on a boat that makes a chugging sound

How Carefully

to position
159 2.5
to put
1.0
to place
1.0
to drop
1.0

Surface Forms

put infinitive
put past
put past participle
putting present participle
puts third person singular

Etymology

Put comes from an old English word meaning 'place' or 'set', so it began as the simple action of placing something. Think of it like the same idea in the word putter, which means to move things around slowly. So, today put still means to move or place something in a particular position.