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to put

to put

∞ 1.0
Move something to a particular place or position
  • verb
  • /pʊt/
: 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 put in
vsto put
∞ 1.7

Place something inside another thing or space

is general moving or placing not limited to insertion
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 set
vsto put
∞ 1.0

To take place in a particular time or place

is broader, meaning moving or placing without precise arrangement
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 down
vsto put
∞ 1.0

To lower something from your hands onto a surface

refers more broadly to moving or placing without lowering action
to stick in
vsto put
486 3.0

Push something into another thing so it goes inside

is general placement without the forceful pushing into something
to position
vsto put
189 2.5

To put something in a particular place carefully

is general placement without special careful arranging
to deposit
vsto put
59 2.5

To put something down carefully in a particular place

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

To move something to another place

is initial placement rather than moving between locations
to situate
vsto put
11 3.9

Put someone or something in a certain place

is moving or placing without the formal act of determining position
to place down
vsto put
6 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

To say that someone said something when they did not

20 2.8

To earn enough money to support yourself or your family

16 3.8

Figure out what happened from obvious facts

To keep moving forward step by step despite problems

Show support by giving money or doing something to help

8 7.7

Tell someone to do what they say or stop talking

Tell someone to be quiet

To force someone to do something by threatening them

To be completely open and honest about your plans or feelings

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

To do things in the wrong order

To say the same idea in another way

To say or do something embarrassing by accident

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

Risk all your money or chances on one plan

Offer money for catching or killing a person

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

To try to undo something you cannot change

2 8.3

Unable to manage easily because you have little money or help

To gain weight and become healthier after being thin or sick

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

Accept this fact even if you do not like it

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

Stop arguing and agree to work together

put her there
  • Archaic
1 9.8

Hold out your hand to ask for a friendly handshake

To make someone angry or ready to argue

Try to make things the way they were after they changed

Imagine being in the other person's place to understand them better

1 7.4

Act confident and serious to hide nerves before a challenge

To attack or criticize someone who is already in trouble

To give someone money or a job so they can live

To be ordinary like other people

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

To cause a plan to fail or have big problems

1 8.2

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

To take a big risk to help another person or group

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

7.8

To try as hard as possible to do something

To say something embarrassing without meaning to

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

To start working very hard to reach a goal

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

To yell at or threaten someone to make them try harder

To give money willingly, often when it is not needed

To focus all your attention and effort on achieving something

To support your words by giving money or doing work

Speak badly about someone or something to other people

To say something sharp to hurt or criticize someone

Phrasal Verbs

∞ 1.7

Place something inside another thing or space

∞ 1.7

To add something to a building to make it larger

∞ 1.0

To dress yourself in clothes or wear things like makeup

∞ 1.0

To lower something from your hands onto a surface

∞ 2.8

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

886 1.0

Return something to the place where it was before

716 3.6

Publish something like a book or magazine for people to buy

367 2.5

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

362 2.0

To place something in its usual place for storage

359 2.9

To spend time, effort, or care on work

313 2.4

Place a sign or notice so people can see it

279 2.8

To organize and present an event or show

270 3.0

Build something like a wall or sign

265 4.3

To accept something unpleasant without complaining

181 2.0

Make a fire, light, or cigarette stop burning

151 3.4

To stop thinking about something for a short time

147 5.8

To lock someone in prison or a secure place

129 2.9

Delay something until a later time

To make something stop completely

to stay put
  • Informal
126 2.0

Remain in the same place without moving

104 3.4

Offer strong resistance, for example by fighting

Risk something important, like money, life, or reputation

Make someone or something start working by giving tasks

To suggest an idea or plan for others to consider

73 5.8

Cause someone trouble by making things difficult for them

72 3.2

Make a formal request or application for something like a job

68 3.0

To start music or a recording so people can hear it

to put on
  • Informal
65 7.2

To trick someone, often as a joke

63 2.2

To gain weight and become heavier

to put down
  • Offensive
62 4.9

To make someone feel unimportant by saying bad things about them

62 6.3

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

To end something so it no longer happens

58 3.7

Give money needed for a purpose

to put up to
  • Informal
57 6.8

To persuade someone to do something they would not do on their own

57 2.4

To write something so you do not forget it

54 3.7

Make someone not want to do something

to put under
  • Specialized
54 6.0

Give someone medicine to make them unconscious before an operation

to put to death
  • Offensive
52 7.6

To kill someone as a legal punishment

52 3.6

To fix a mistake or problem and return things to normal

To stop someone's suffering or worry, sometimes by ending their life

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

45 3.4

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

38 5.5

To kill an animal to stop its suffering

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

35 3.2

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

34 5.3

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

33 3.5

Offer something for sale at an auction

to put up
  • Informal
32 3.3

Let someone stay in your home for a short time

Send a person to prison as punishment

to put out
  • Offensive
31 9.9

Agree to have sex, usually said about a woman

29 2.2

Raise your hand to show you want to speak or answer

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

to put to sleep
  • Baby Talk
26 2.5

Help a child or baby fall asleep in bed

22 3.8

Interrupt a conversation to make a short comment or question

21 4.7

Finish something completely so no more work is needed

19 1.8

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

18 4.0

Suggest someone as a candidate for a position or award

To use an idea or plan in a real situation

14 6.0

Admire someone so much you think they are perfect

13 5.8

Make something less fun or exciting

13 5.0

Make a lot of effort to do something

To slow down an activity or stop it

to put in a box
  • Informal
12 7.2

Treat someone as only one type and ignore their other skills

12 6.4

To stop something from continuing or becoming known

11 8.6

Try to attract someone by flirting or making sexual advances

To make a plan or change happen

11 4.1

To try hard to do something

10 4.2

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

to put it past
  • Informal
9 7.5

Think someone might do something bad or surprising

to put out
  • Specialized
9 7.3

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

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

To delay dealing with something until later and make it less important

To say that something happened because of a particular reason

Compounds

put-down
  • Offensive
9 6.6

A remark that makes someone feel small or embarrassed

6 2.7

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

4 7.2

Other people make someone do more than is fair

put-on
  • Informal
4 7.5

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

put option
  • Specialized
4 8.3

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

put-up
  • Informal
2 8.1

Arranged secretly to make something look real but trick people

put-up job
  • Informal
1 8.5

A secret plan to trick people by making something seem accidental

put-on
  • Informal
1 7.6

Seems real but is actually false

put-put
  • Specialized
1 9.2

A small engine on a boat that makes a chugging sound

How Carefully

to position
189 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.