PUT | Meaning, Definition In Cambridge English Dictionary

Meaning of put in English putverb uk /pʊt/ us /pʊt/ present participle putting | past tense and past participle put

put verb (MOVE)

Add to word list Add to word list A1 [ T + adv/prep ] to move something or someone into the stated place, position, or direction: Where have you put the keys? Put your clothes in the cupboard. He put salt into the sugar bowl by mistake. She put her bag on the table. She put her hands over her eyes. I put my arm around him to comfort him. We always put the cat out (= outside the house) at night. Every night, she puts out her clothes (= takes them from where they are kept so that they are ready) for the next day. If we put the chairs a little closer together (= move them nearer to each other), we should be able to get another one around the table. If you put together (= mix) yellow and blue paint you get green. The prisoners were put up against (= moved into a position next to) a wall and shot.

• I've put the beer in the fridge to chill.
• Why don't we put the bed against the wall?
• Aha, that's where I put my keys!
• Throw your gun down and put your hands in the air.
• I emptied the closet and put my belongings into the black overnight case.

Placing and positioning an object

• -based
• appose
• around
• change something around phrasal verb
• circle
• consign
• gone
• plant
• re-engage
• re-rig
• realignment
• redeposit
• reinstall
• spread
• stick
• stuck
• superimpose
• transpose
• transposition
• turn over phrasal verb

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put verb (WRITE)

A2 [ T + adv/prep ] to write something: She puts her name in all her books. Put an X next to the name of the candidate you want to vote for. I've put the date of the party down in my diary. He asked me to put my objections (down) on paper. It was an interesting article but I wish they'd put in more information (= included more information) about the costs.

• Put your name at the top of each sheet.
• I put something about my previous work experience.
• This is where you have to put your family details.
• Put the address in the top, right-hand corner.
• She put that she wanted to work in the media.

Writing & typing

• agraphia
• asemic
• bang something out phrasal verb
• bash something out phrasal verb
• blank
• borrow
• contribute
• draw
• enter
• ghost
• graphology
• keyboarder
• longhand
• misspell
• overdocument
• overplotted
• punch in phrasal verb
• purple prose
• put something/someone down phrasal verb
• writer

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put verb (EXPRESS)

C2 [ T usually + adv/prep ] to express something in words: She wanted to tell him that she didn't want to see him any more, but she didn't know how to put it. We're going to have to work very hard, but as Chris so succinctly put it, there's no gain without pain. Why do you always have to put things so crudely? Has everyone had a chance to put their point of view?  put a price/value/figure on something to say what you think the price or value of something is: The agent has put a price of £720,000 on our house. See more  to put it bluntly, simply, mildly, etc. used to describe the way you are expressing an event or opinion: To put it bluntly, you're going to have to improve. See more

• To put it simply - I think she's wrong.
• "What's her new boyfriend like?" "Well, how shall I put it? He's unusual."
• You really should try to put things a bit more tactfully - you've upset her now.
• This sentence is rather confusing - how can we put it a bit more clearly?
• On yesterday's programme, we heard the actor put his views on media harassment very forcefully.

Saying & uttering

• (your) every word idiom
• add
• come out with something phrasal verb
• every
• fall from something phrasal verb
• find your voice idiom
• get in phrasal verb
• intone
• loud
• observe
• phrase
• quoth
• say
• spoken
• string
• talk sense idiom
• think
• verbalize
• volunteer
• worded

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put verb (CONDITION)

B2 [ T ] to cause someone or something to be in the stated condition or situation: Are you prepared to put your children at risk? This puts me in a very difficult position. What has put you in such a bad mood? This election is a chance for the country to put a new government in (= elect a new government). It's broken into so many pieces, it'll be impossible to put it back together again (= repair it). Let's give her the chance to put her ideas into practice. The terrorists were put on trial (= their case was judged in a court of law) six years after the bombing. Wilson was put out (of the competition) (= was defeated) by Clarke in the second round. [ + adj ] How much did it cost to have the television put right (= repaired)? I originally thought he was Australian, but he soon put me straight (= corrected me) and explained he was from New Zealand. I know she's gone forever, but I just can't put her out of my mind/head (= forget her). He's putting me under pressure to change my mind.

• That walk has put some colour in your cheeks.
• If you can't control your dog, put it on a lead!
• My doctor's put me on a course of antibiotics.
• The doctor put me on a low-salt diet to reduce my blood pressure.
• We put up our tents and made a small fire.

Causing things to happen

• activation
• actuation
• add fuel to something
• agent
• at the instigation of someone
• breed
• fulfil
• gift
• give rise to idiom
• hyperstimulate
• hyperstimulation
• induction
• prompt
• propel
• provoke
• proximately
• put someone to something idiom
• Pygmalion effect
• render
• spell

See more results »

put verb (OPERATION)

[ T usually + adv/prep ] to bring into operation; to cause to be used: When the drugs failed to cure her, she put her faith/trust in herbal medicine. The school puts a lot of emphasis on teaching children to read and write. He's putting pressure on me to change my mind. The events of the last few weeks have put a real strain on him. In the story of Sleeping Beauty, the wicked fairy puts a spell/curse (US hex) on the baby princess. You know it was your fault, so don't try to put the blame on anyone else. The government is expected to put a new tax on cars. The new tax will put 15 percent on fuel prices (= increase them by 15 percent). She's never put a bet/money on a race before. He put everything he had into (= he used all his abilities and strength in) the final game. The more you put into something, the more you get out of it (= the harder you work at something, the more satisfying it is). They put (= invested) a lot of money into the family business. The president is trying to put through (= bring into operation) reforms of the country's economic system. They've got to put an end to/a stop to their fighting (= to stop fighting).

• The latest education reforms have put extra pressure on teachers.
• Johnson was influential in persuading the producers to put money into the film.
• Their constant arguments were putting a strain on their marriage.
• She tried to cure the pain in my knee by putting manual pressure on the joint.
• You must try to put a curb on your spending habits.

Causing things to happen

• activation
• actuation
• add fuel to something
• agent
• at the instigation of someone
• breed
• fulfil
• gift
• give rise to idiom
• hyperstimulate
• hyperstimulation
• induction
• prompt
• propel
• provoke
• proximately
• put someone to something idiom
• Pygmalion effect
• render
• spell

See more results »

put verb (JUDGE)

[ T + adv/prep ] to judge something or someone in comparison with other similar things or people: I'd put him among the top six tennis players of all time. Drama critics have put her on a level/par with the great Shakespearean actresses. He always puts the needs of his family first/last (= they are the most/least important thing to him). Analysing and evaluating

• adjudication
• analysable
• analyse
• analyser
• analyst
• appraise
• calculus
• dissect
• have the measure of someone/something idiom
• inquest
• inspect
• inspection
• interpret something as something
• interpretable
• parse
• reattribute
• reattribution
• regrade
• reinspect
• reinspection

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put verb (SAIL)

[ I + adv/prep ] to travel in a boat or ship across the sea: Our mast broke, so we had to put about (= turn round) and return to port. The ship put in at (= stopped at) Cape Town for fresh supplies. We put to sea (= began our journey by sea) at dawn. Sailing & boating

• age of sail
• antifouling
• aweigh
• bale
• bargee
• bargeman
• maritime
• navigability
• navigably
• ocean-going
• outsail
• pitchpole
• sail
• sailing
• seaborne
• seafaring
• seagoing
• seamanship
• seaworthy
• tack

See more results »

Grammar

PutThe irregular verb put means ‘move something into a particular place’. The past simple form is put and the -ed form is put: …

Idioms

put your back into something put yourself in someone's place/position/shoes put someone to something put it about put it there! put one over on someone put the shot put the squeeze on someone

Phrasal verbs

put something about/around put something across/over someone put something across put yourself across put something aside put something at something put something away put someone away put something back put something before someone put something behind you put something by put something/someone down put something down put someone down put (something) down (somewhere) put someone down somewhere put someone down as something put someone down for something put something down to something put something/someone forward put something forward put something in put something in/put something into something put (something) in put in for something put something into something put something off put someone off put someone off (something) put someone off (something/someone) put something on put someone on put someone on something put someone onto something put something out put someone out put yourself out put out put something over/across put someone through something put someone through put something to someone put something together put something towards something put something up put up something put something/someone up put someone up put up put someone up to something put up with something/someone be put upon (Definition of put from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press)

put | American Dictionary

putverb us /pʊt/ present participle putting | past tense and past participle put

put verb (MOVE)

Add to word list Add to word list [ T always + adv/prep ] to move something or someone into the stated place, position, or direction: She put her arm around him. Put your clothes in the closet. When you set the table, put the soup spoons next to the knives. She put her coffee cup on the table. The movie was so scary that she put her hands over her eyes.  put someone to bed If you put someone to bed, you dress the person in the clothes worn for sleeping and see that the person gets into bed: I’ll call back after I put the kids to bed.

put verb (WRITE)

[ T always + adv/prep ] to write down or record: Put your name on the list if you want to go. Put an answer in the space provided.

put verb (EXPRESS)

[ T ] to express something in words: She wanted to tell him that she didn’t want to see him any more, but she didn’t know how to put it. He has difficulty putting his feelings into words. [ T ] If you put something in a particular way, you express it that way: To put it bluntly, Pete, you’re just no good at the job. Dad was annoyed, to put it mildly.

put verb (CONDITION)

[ T ] to cause something to be in the stated condition or situation: Are you prepared to put your children at risk? This puts me in a very difficult position. What put you in such a bad mood?

put verb (JUDGE)

[ T always + adv/prep ] to judge something or someone in comparison with other similar things or people: I’d put him among the top six tennis players of all time. The value of the painting has been put at $1.5 million. He always puts his family first.

Idioms

I wouldn’t put it past someone (to do something) put a damper on something put down roots put an end to something put your feet up put your finger on something put your foot down put your foot in your mouth put in a good word for someone put your heads together put someone in his/her place put yourself in someone’s place put someone on put someone/something out of your mind put the brakes on something/someone put the squeeze on something/someone put someone/something through his/her/its paces put someone/something to the test put two and two together put words in someone’s mouth

Phrasal verbs

put something across put something before someone/something put something behind someone put someone down put something down put something into something put someone off put someone on something put someone out put something over on someone put someone through put someone through something put someone to something put something to someone put something toward something put someone up to something put aside something put aside something put away something put away something put away someone put back something put down something/someone put down something put down someone put down something put forward/forth something put in something put in (something) put in something put in something put off something/someone put on something put on something put on something put on something put on something/someone put out something put out something put out something put out something put out something put together something put together something put up something put up something put up something put up something put up someone put up something put up with someone/something (Definition of put from the Cambridge Academic Content Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

put | Business English

putverb uk /pʊt/ us putting | put | put Add to word list Add to word list [ T ] to move something into a particular place: Can you put the file on my desk when you've finished with it, please? We put the money in the safe at the end of each day. [ T ] to write down or record information: Put your full name at the top of the form. It's a good report, but you haven't put in anything about the costs. You can save a lot of time and effort by putting your accounts on a computer. [ T ] to express something in words: I hate these designs, but I don't know how to put it in a tactful way. We're going to have to work very hard, but as Chris so succinctly put it, there's no gain without pain. [ T ] to cause someone or something to be in a particular condition or situation: put sb in a difficult/awkward/embarrassing, etc. position This puts me in a very difficult position.put sth into effect/practice Let's give her the chance to put her ideas into practice. I don't know what the problem is, but we have two days to put it right.put sb under pressure/strain/stress He put me under pressure to change my mind.put sb out of business/work/a job Unemployment benefits for those put out of work have been extended for six months. [ T ] to officially begin using something: The government is expected to put a new tax on cars. The government put through a law requiring equal access to buildings for disabled people. [ T ] to judge something or someone in comparison with other similar things or people: put sb/sth among sb/sth His four-year deal put him among the country's highest earners.put sb/sth first/tenth/50th, etc. Washington's quarterly rate of one foreclosure for every 436 households put it 21st among states.  put a price/value/figure on sth to say what you think the price or value of something is: They've put a price of €2 million on the factory.  to put it bluntly/simply/briefly, etc. to express something in a particular way: To put it bluntly, you're going to have to improve.

Phrasal verbs

put sth across put yourself across put sth aside put sth at sth put sth away put sth back put sth before sb put sth before sth put sth by put sth down put sth/sb forward put sth in put sth in/into sth put in for sth put sth off put sth out put sb out put sth over put sb through put sth to sb put sth together put sth up putnoun [ C ]   FINANCE, STOCK MARKET uk /pʊt/ us →  put option (Definition of put from the Cambridge Business English Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

Examples of put

put Given the qualitative nature of the survey, the results were interpreted and put in relation to existing estimates in the literature. From the Cambridge English Corpus Significantly, at the very same historical moment, another series of photographs of nationalist leaders was also being put into public circulation. From the Cambridge English Corpus These parties had a common interest and were supported by non-governmental organisations which helped them put together a strong campaign. From the Cambridge English Corpus She would put on a scarf and play various roles. From the Cambridge English Corpus For if some part of the past survives into the present, something else is absent, and has to be 'put back'. From the Cambridge English Corpus Put together apparently by 1755, it has been identified as the only surviving opera from the missions. From the Cambridge English Corpus Instead, we were told to put our faith in the market. From the Cambridge English Corpus They were then told to put the sounds together to say the whole word. From the Cambridge English Corpus If teachers have ever told you, that you don't put a comma before that, they were right. From the Cambridge English Corpus In this paper, we put forward the environment as a first-order abstraction in multiagent systems. From the Cambridge English Corpus It is this challenge that puts on the table new theoretical issues for social science and public policy. From the Cambridge English Corpus It's just one of the many funky things that can happen when you put the needle to the groove. From the Cambridge English Corpus When the riff is put back within the context of the entire song, however, things get a bit more interesting. From the Cambridge English Corpus Some novel utterances may have been put together by combining individual words that have already been learned. From the Cambridge English Corpus But this does not help us very much in understanding their human significance without being put into a much broader social and historical context. From the Cambridge English Corpus See all examples of put These examples are from corpora and from sources on the web. Any opinions in the examples do not represent the opinion of the Cambridge Dictionary editors or of Cambridge University Press or its licensors. What is the pronunciation of put?

Translations of put

in Chinese (Traditional) 移動, 把…放在, 放置… See more in Chinese (Simplified) 移动, 把…放在, 放置… See more in Spanish poner, colocar, escribir… See more in Portuguese colocar, pôr, escrever… See more in Marathi in Japanese in Turkish in French in Catalan in Dutch in Tamil in Hindi in Gujarati in Danish in Swedish in Malay in German in Norwegian in Urdu in Ukrainian in Telugu in Bengali in Czech in Indonesian in Thai in Vietnamese in Polish in Korean in Italian ठेवणे, टाकणे / विशिष्ट ठिकाणी वा दिशेला काहीतरी किंवा कोणालातरी हलवणे., मांडणे / काही लिहिणे… See more ～を置く, ～を記入する, 書く… See more belli kelimelerle söylemek, yazmak, kaleme almak… See more mettre, construire, noter… See more posar, col·locar, escriure… See more zetten, plaatsen, stellen… See more எதையாவது அல்லது யாரையாவது குறிப்பிட்ட இடத்தில், நிலையில் அல்லது திசையில் நகர்த்த, ஏதாவது எழுத… See more रखना, किसी वस्तु या व्यक्ति को निर्दिष्ट स्थान, स्थिति या दिशा में ले जाना… See more મૂકવું, કરવું, લખવું… See more sætte, komme, lægge… See more ställa, sätta, lägga… See more meletakkan, membubuh, memasang… See more stellen, legen, tun… See more legge, sette, putte… See more رکھنا, درج کرنا, لکھنا… See more (по)класти, (по)ставити, поставити… See more పెట్టడం, రాయడం, మాటల్లో ఏదైనా వ్యక్తపరచు… See more রাখা, লিখে নেওয়া, দৃষ্টিভঙ্গি ব্যক্ত করা… See more dát, umístit, přivést… See more menaruh, mengajukan, mengemukakan… See more วาง, นำสนอ, กล่าว… See more đặt, để, hỏi… See more ujmować, wyrażać, umieszczać… See more 놓다, (글을) 쓰다, (어떤 상황에) 처하게 하다… See more mettere, mettere (per scritto), porre… See more Need a translator?

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pussyfooted pussyfooting pustular pustule put put (out) to sea phrase put (out) to stud phrase put (your) money on someone/something idiom put a bow on something idiom {{#randomImageQuizHook.filename}} {{#randomImageQuizHook.isQuiz}} Test your vocabulary with our fun image quizzes Try a quiz now {{/randomImageQuizHook.isQuiz}} {{^randomImageQuizHook.isQuiz}} {{/randomImageQuizHook.isQuiz}} {{/randomImageQuizHook.filename}}

More meanings of put

• shot put
• put-on
• putout
• hard-pressed
• put-down
• put upon
• put-upon

See all meanings

• put something across phrasal verb
• put aside something phrasal verb
• put away something phrasal verb
• put away someone phrasal verb
• put back something phrasal verb
• put something before someone/something phrasal verb
• put something behind someone phrasal verb

See all phrasal verb meanings

• I wouldn’t put it past someone (to do something) idiom
• put a damper on something idiom
• put an end to something idiom
• put down roots idiom
• put your feet up idiom
• put your finger on something idiom
• put your foot down idiom

See all idioms and phrases

Word of the Day

fraternize

UK /ˈfræt.ə.naɪz/ US /ˈfræt̬.ɚ.naɪz/

to meet someone socially, especially someone who belongs to an opposing army or team, or has a different social position

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• English   
  • Verb 
    • put (MOVE)
    • put (WRITE)
    • put (EXPRESS)
    • put a price/value/figure on something
    • to put it bluntly, simply, mildly, etc.
    • put (CONDITION)
    • put (OPERATION)
    • put (JUDGE)
    • put (SAIL)
• American   
  • Verb 
    • put (MOVE)
    • put someone to bed
    • put (WRITE)
    • put (EXPRESS)
    • put (CONDITION)
    • put (JUDGE)
• Business   
  • Verb 
    • put
    • put a price/value/figure on sth
    • to put it bluntly/simply/briefly, etc.
  Noun
• Examples

• Translations
• Grammar
• All translations

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