From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishputput /pʊt/ ●●● S1 W1 verb (past tense and past participle put, present participle putting) [transitive] 1 move to place [always + adverb/preposition]PUT to move something to a particular place or position, especially using your hands SYN place He put the coffee on the table. Where did you put the programmes? → see Thesaurus box on 0000002 change somebody’s situation/feelings [always + adverb/preposition]CHANGE/MAKE something DIFFERENT to make someone be in a situation or have a feeling Don’t put yourself into a situation you can’t handle.put somebody in a good/bad etc mood (=make them feel happy/annoyed etc) The long delay had put us all in a bad mood. I don’t want to put you in danger. Pit closures have put thousands of miners out of a job (=made them lose their job).put somebody in control/command/charge etc (=give someone authority over a group, activity, or organization) His boss resigned and Murphy was put in charge. Politics puts me to sleep. A knee injury put him out of action for three months.3 write/print somethingWRITE to write or print something or to make a mark with a pen or pencilput something in/on/under etc something Put your name at the top of each answer sheet.put something to something He put his signature to the contract (=he signed it to show he agreed with it).► see thesaurus at write4 express [always + adverb/preposition]EXPRESS to say or write something using words in a particular wayput something well/cleverly/simply etc The question was well put. So it was an accident, an ‘act of God’ if you want to put it like that. When women joined the organization, it ‘took on a new look', as news reports put it. It is hard to put into words (=express) how I feel now. He’s not very musical, to put it mildly (=he’s not musical at all). We get on each other’s nerves, to put it bluntly (=to say exactly what I mean). It’s fairly risky. Or to put it another way (=say it in different words), don’t try this at home. The subject matter makes the painting a little, how shall I put it (=how can I say it politely?), undesirable for public display.5 → put a stop/an end to something6 → put something into action/effect/practice7 ask/suggestSUGGEST to ask a question or make a suggestion, especially to get someone’s opinion or agreementput a proposition/proposal/case etc to somebody He put the proposal to his wife.put something before somebody The budget was put before the board of directors. Can I put a question to you? I put it to you that this proposal has to be considered.8 → put something right9 → put somebody straight/right10 → put something straight11 make somebody/something do something to make someone or something work or do something, or to use it a scheme to put unemployed people to work on government construction projects If you have a spare room, put it to work for you – take in a lodger. Computer games are being put to use in the classroom. We put 15 rain jackets to the test (=we tested them). 12 have importance/quality [always + adverb/preposition]ORDER/SEQUENCE to consider something as having a particular level of importance or qualityput somebody as/among/in etc something A recent poll put Dr Martens among the world’s top thirty designer labels.put somebody/something before somebody/something Some companies put profit before safety.put somebody/something first/second etc The job’s important to him, but he puts his family first.13 send somebody somewhere [always + adverb/preposition]PUT to arrange for someone to go to a place, or to make them go thereput somebody in (something) The company is putting in new management. Pneumonia put him in the hospital for a week. Put the boys to bed around eight o'clock.14 → put somebody on a train/plane etc15 → put paid to something16 → I wouldn’t put it past somebody (to do something)17 → put somebody to trouble/inconvenience18 → put it there19 throwDSO to throw a shot (=a heavy metal ball) in a sports competition → put your finger on something at finger1(4), → put your foot down at foot1(13), → put your foot in it at foot1(15), → put the record straight at record1(11), → put something to (good) use at use2(4), → put your back into it at back2(19)COLLOCATIONS – Meaning 4: to say or write something using words in a particular wayadverbswellSorry, I’m not putting it very well.simplyPut simply, our aim is to create art.succinctly (=using only a few words)A Russian economist put it most succinctly: ‘People do not care about carbon.’mildly (=in a way that is not extreme)His theory is controversial, to put it mildly.bluntly/crudely/plainly (=in a direct way that may offend people)I would put it more bluntly. I think you are wallowing in self-pity.delicately (=in a way that will not offend people)He had been drunk, or as Hilton delicately put it, ‘talkative’.cleverlyI didn't agree with her, but she put her argument so cleverly that I was almost persuaded.phrasesput something another wayThe dress was too small for me, or, to put it another way, I was too big for it.put something this/that wayLet me put it this way - she's not as young as she was.put something like that/this‘He's been completely irresponsible.’ ‘I wouldn’t put it quite like that.’put something into words (=say what you are feeling or thinking)She couldn’t put her feelings into words.how shall I/we put it? (=used before saying something in an indirect or polite way)Mr Lewis is now – how shall we put it? – hardly the influence he once was. THESAURUSput to move something to a particular placeI’ve put the wine in the fridge.Where have you put my grey shirt?place to put something somewhere carefully‘It’s beautiful, ’ he said, placing it back on the shelf.lay to put someone or something down carefully on a flat surfaceHe laid all the money on the table.She laid the baby on his bed.position to carefully put something in a suitable positionPosition the microphone to suit your height.Troops were positioned around the city.slip to put something somewhere with a quick movementHe slipped his arm around her waist.Carrie quickly slipped the money into her bag.shove to put something into a space or container quickly or carelesslyShove anything you don’t want in that sack.I’ve ironed those shirts so don’t just shove them in a drawer.stick (also bung British English) informal to put something somewhere quickly or carelesslyI stuck the address in my pocket and I can’t find it now.Could you bung those clothes in the washing machine?dump to put something down somewhere in a careless and untidy wayDon’t just dump all your bags in the kitchen.People shouldn’t dump rubbish at the side of the street.pop informal to quickly put something somewhere, usually for a short timePop it in the microwave for a minute.thrust literary to put something somewhere suddenly or forcefully‘Hide it, ’ he said, thrusting the watch into her hand.to put something into a liquiddip to put something into a liquid for a very short time and take it out againShe dipped her hand in the water to see how hot it was.Prawns are delicious dipped in a spicy sauce.plunge to put something quickly, firmly, and deeply into a liquidPlunge the pasta into a pan of boiling water. I had to plunge my arm in up to the elbow to reach the keys.dunk to put something such as a piece of bread or cake into a hot drink or soup before eating itI love biscuits dunked in coffee.immerse to put something deep into a liquid so that it is completely coveredIf the plant’s leaves look dry, immerse the roots in water for a while. COLLOCATIONS – Meaning 7: to ask a question or make a suggestion, especially to get someone’s opinion or agreementnounsput a question (to somebody)I will be putting that very question to her.put a proposition/proposal to somebodyI’ve a proposition to put to you.put a point to somebodyYou should put that point to the Chancellor.put a case (to somebody)He wanted to put his case to the full committee.phrasesput it to somebody thatI put it to him that what we needed was some independent advice. → put about → put something ↔ across → put something ↔ aside → put something at something → put somebody/something away → put something back → put something behind you → put something ↔ by → put down → put somebody down as something → put somebody down for something → put something down to something → put forth something → put somebody/something ↔ forward → put in → put something into something → put somebody/something off → put somebody/something on → put somebody onto somebody/something → put out → put something ↔ over → put through → put something ↔ together → put something towards something → put somebody under → put up → put somebody up to something → put up with somebody/something→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
put• I wrote to Marian, but I didn't put anything about Bill being arrested.• It's time to put everything away now.• Grandmother was getting too frail to live on her own, so we had to put her in an old people's home.• He put himself through school with wages earned as a carpenter.• She picked up a porcelain figurine and put it down again.• They put me in a room on my own and locked the door.• The stench and the bloody process we watched put me off tinned fish for many months.• I can't remember where I put my keys.• When did you last put oil in the car?• Groover Records are now putting on a Monday night club at two different venues.• The time has come to put such a fee in place.• The ground crew can now work to refuel, clean the squashed bugs off the bubble and put the aircraft to bed.• Just put the bags on the table.• I put the coin in my pocket.• I put the letter back in the envelope.• Where did you put the newspaper?• She put the sales slip in the plastic bag with the dress.• The photographer arranged the wedding guests, putting the smallest ones at the front.• Now they must try to put their dreams back together again.• I took my wallet out and took two fivers and put them on the table.• I'm not allowed to put up any posters in my bedroom.• Winning their last six games has put Utah into first place.• Just put 'with love from Jason' on the card.• This is music to put you in a relaxed mood.put ... in danger• After all, the inspector himself admitted wondering whether Nicola had learnt or been given something that put her in danger.• But her disappearance hammers home that in modern Britain, even a fleeting two minutes alone can put a child in danger.• He loved his son very much and did not want to put him in danger.• The things that were ruled out were things that would put him in danger.• They claim the prison wouldn't be properly staffed and that the public could be put in danger.• Their falsehood puts it in danger of collapse.put it like that• You don't have to put it like that.• It was too bad of me, I knew she would do the decent thing if I put it like that.• Orwell would not have put it like that.• This fact was discovered by Gregor Mendel in the last century, although he wouldn't have put it like that.• Once you put it like that, it can be see to be clearly false.• I had been four years at an evangelical theological college but no one had ever put it like that to me.put a question to• And I saw another man with a wheel on his head and put a question to him.• As Mr Jones left, reporters were prevented from putting questions to him.• Then she put questions to the Archimandrite which provoked a severe apprehension in Miss Logan.• The hon. Lady should put a question to the Minister.put ... to work• But they did put me to work.• The robot business began to look brighter as we built up experience in putting the machines to work.• True adaptation to society comes automatically when the adolescent reformer attempts to put his ideas to work.• But we do like the concept of putting juvenile criminals to work cleaning up the ballpark.• They are put to work for their hands, not for their minds or imaginations.• And it's written 100% for you: the professional developer. Put us to work for you today!• This model will be put to work in Chapter 7 where anti-inflation and anti-unemployment policies are discussed.• Taylor put Gantt to work on a vexing problem grown out of the metal-cutting experiments.Put ... to bed• But there is a problem when it comes to putting the girls to bed.• He had to half carry me into my apartment and put me to bed.• I doubted that would have much effect, but gave him a double shampoo and put him to bed.• I was still weeping with fright when Uncle Bill put me to bed.• Luke must have put her to bed.• The family took Anna for the night and put her straight to bed.• The ground crew can now work to refuel, clean the squashed bugs off the bubble and put the aircraft to bed.• If Olwyn did not go of her own accord she was taken, undressed and washed and put to bed forcibly.From Longman Business Dictionaryputput1 /pʊt/ verb (past tense and past participle put, present participle putting)1put a proposal/case etc to somebody to offer a proposal, plan etc to a group of people which they can accept or rejectThe latest offer will be put to the negotiating committee this afternoon.2put your name to something to sign a letter, document etc saying that you agree with what is written in it → put something → across → put something → aside → put something at something → put something → away → put something → back → put something → by → put something → down → put something → forward → put in → put something → in/into (something) → put in for something → put something on something → put something → out → put something → through → put something → up→ See Verb tableputput2 noun [countable] FINANCE another name for PUT OPTION (=the right to sell shares etc at a particular price within a specific period of time)In-the-money puts are options where the price at which the holder can sell the stock is well above the current market price of the shares.Japanese players are holding a large amount of dollar puts at 132.4 yen.Origin put Old English putian 