put

▪ I. put, n.¹
    (pʊt)
    Also 5–8 putt (see also next).
    [f. put v.¹]
    An act of putting, in various senses.
    1. An act of thrusting or pushing; a thrust; a push, a shove. Also fig. (with quot. 1748 cf. put v.¹ 3 b). Obs. exc. dial. = butt n.⁹

c 1430 Syr Gener. (Roxb.) 4588 In his sadle he held him still, And smote Darel with so goodewill In middes of the sheld ful butt That Darel fell doun with that putt. 1508 Dunbar Tua Mariit Wemen 231 A tender peronall, that myght na put thole. a 1572 Knox Hist. Ref. (1644) 117 When it begins at us, God knows..who shall bide the next put. a 1598 Rollock Sel. Wks. (Wodrow Soc.) II. 511 He will come and give them a putt, with sharpness and mercy. 1633 Rutherford Lett. (1862) I. 104 To help you to bear your burden, and to come in behind you, and give you and your burdens a put up the mountain. 1748 Richardson Clarissa Wks. 1811 IV. 316 The dear creature..wanted to instruct me how to answer the Captain's home put. 1869 E. Farmer Scrap. Bk. (ed. 6) 60 The pig made a put at the closed..door. 1974 B. Brophy in New Statesman 28 June 929/1 The jacket, an unsuccessful but not dishonourable put at the manner of Magritte.

    2. The act of casting a heavy stone or weight overhand, as a trial of strength; a throw, a cast. (In this sense pronounced (pʌt) in Sc., and identified with put, putt n.²)

c 1300 Havelok 1055 Þe chaunpiouns þat put sowen, Shuldreden he ilc oþer, and lowen. c 1340 Hymns Virg., etc. 73 Þe put of þe stoon þou maist not reche, To litil myȝte is in þi sleue. 1889 Boy's Own Paper 7 Sept. 780/2 After each put has been marked the ground is smoothed over. Ibid., I noticed..the puts on several occasions knocked out the pegs of previous marks.

    3. In phr. forced put: see force-put.
    The precise sense of put in this phrase is obscure.
    4. In Stock-jobbing and Speculation: The option of delivering a specified amount of a particular stock or produce at a certain price within a specified time: see option n. 4, and cf. put v.¹ 10 h.

1717 S. Centlivre Bold Stroke for Wife iv. i, Are you a bull or a bear to-day, Abraham? 3rd Stockbroker. A bull faith; but I have a good putt for next week. 1825 C. M. Westmacott Eng. Spy II. 139 For the call or put. a 1860 C. Fenn Eng. & For. Funds (1883) 127 A ‘Put’ is an option of delivering stock at a certain time, the price and date being fixed at the time the option-money is given. 1893 Bithell Counting-H. Dict. s.v. Options, When money is paid for the option of buying at a given price, the operation is called ‘giving for the call’. When it is paid for the option of selling, it is called ‘giving for the put’. Sometimes both operations are combined, and then it is called ‘giving for the put and call’.

    5. attrib., as put option.

1881 Guide Oper. Stocks 15 A Put Option should be obtained when a decline in the market is expected to take place. 1961 Daily Mail 18 Sept. 13/4 In the past three weeks ‘put’ options (where a fall in the shares is expected) have been an outstanding feature of the option market. 1977 Private Eye 4 Mar. 17/1 One suggestion was that some of the shares had come from Jim himself as a result of a ‘put’ option held on him personally by former lieutenant Herbert Despard.

▪ II. put, putt, n.²
    (pʌt)
    [A differentiated pronunciation of prec.; of Scotch origin.]
    1. Sc. = prec., sense 2.
    2. Golf. (orig. Sc.) An act of ‘putting’: see put v.² 3; a gentle stroke given to the ball so as to make it roll along the putting-green, with the purpose of getting it into the hole.

1743 Mathieson Goff in Poems on Golf (1867) 58 With putt well directed plump into the hole. 1857 Chambers's Inform. for People 694/1 One who can gain a full stroke on his opponent between two far-distant holes, frequently loses his advantage by missing a ‘put’ within a yard of the hole! 1863 in R. Clark Golf (1875) 137 The first hole was halved..Drumwhalloch holin' a lang putt. 1901 Scotsman 9 Sept. 4/7 On the next green he got down his putt from a distance of..twenty yards.

    3. fig. in phr. to make one's putt good (Sc.), to succeed in one's attempt, gain what one aims at.

1661 Rutherford in Life (1881) 28 Fearing I should not make my putt good. 1822 Galt Steam-Boat ix. (1850) 230 The mistress..made her putt good, and the satin dress was obligated to be sent to her. 1824 Mactaggart Gallovid. Encycl. 389 A man is said to have made his putt gude, when he obtains what his ambition panted for.

▪ III. put, putt, n.³ Obs. or arch.
    (pʌt)
    [app. f. put v.¹: cf. sense 22 d; but the history is not clear.]
    An old game at cards for two, three, or four players, somewhat resembling Nap, three cards being dealt to each player; the score at this game.

1680 Cotton Compl. Gamester (ed. 2) xv. 92 Putt is the ordinary rooking Game of every place. Ibid., If you play at two-handed Putt (or if you please you may play at three hands) the best Putt-Card deals. Ibid. 93 Five up or a Putt is commonly the Game. 1711 E. Ward Vulgus Brit. ix. 99 Where day by day they us'd to sot, At All-fours, Cribidge, or at Put. 1725 Young Univ. Pass. iv, To Sir S. Compton 30 Since Apes can roast the choice castanian nut; Since Steeds of genius are expert at Put. c 1778 in F. Moore Songs & Ball. Amer. Rev. (1856) 192 Jack, thinking of cribbage, all fours, or of put, With a dextrous hand, he did shuffle and cut. 1851 Mayhew Lond. Labour i. 267/1 He had heard an old tailor say that in his youth..‘put’ was a common public-house game. 1887 Besant The World went xxiv, Bess..could play All-fours, Put, Snip-snap-snorum.

    b. Comb. putt-card, a card used in this game.

1680 Cotton Compl. Gamester (ed. 2) xv. 93 The best Putt-Cards are first the Tray, next the Deuce, then the Ace. 1711 J. Puckle Club 21 note, Bending one, to know where to cut a good Putt-card. Ibid. 23 Marking Putt-cards on the edge with the nail as they come to hand.

▪ IV. put, n.⁴ Obs. or arch. (slang or colloq.)
    (pʌt)
    Also putt.
    [Arose in 17th c. slang; origin unascertained.]
    A stupid man, silly fellow, blockhead, ‘duffer’; country put, a lout, a bumpkin.

1688 Shadwell Sqr. Alsatia i. i, O fy, cousin; a company of Putts, meer Putts! a 1700 B. E. Dict. Cant. Crew, Country-Put, a silly, shallow-pated Fellow. 1710 Tatler No. 230 ¶7 The Third Refinement..consists in the Choice of certain Words invented by some pretty Fellows, such as Banter, Bamboozle, Country Put and Kidney. 1721–2 Amherst Terræ Fil. No. 46. 247 They were metamorphosed into compleat smarts, and damn'd the old country putts, their fathers. 1753 Adventurer No. 100 ¶2 Peculiarities which would have denominated me a Green Horn, or in other words, a country put very green. 1802 in Spirit Pub. Jrnls. VI. 215 The buck, who scorns the city puts, And thinks all rich men noodles. 1823 New Monthly Mag. VIII. 92 The footmen of the House of Lords..keep clear of the borough-mongers and country puts of the lower house. 1859 Thackeray Virgin. xliv, Look at that old putt in the chair: did you ever see such an old quiz? 1886 F. Harrison Ess. 168 What droll puts the citizens seem in it all!

▪ V. put, v.¹
    (pʊt)
    Pa. tense and pa. pple. put (pʊt). Forms: see below.
    [Late OE. putian (? pūtian), represented c 1050 by the vbl. n. putung (? pūt-), putting; thence early ME. pūten and ? puten, later putten, putt, put. Beside this, late OE. had potian (11th c.), ME. pōten (see pote v.), and potten; also, OE. pȳtan (repr. by p{yacu}tan {uacu}t in the OE. Chron., MS. F. (12th c.), anno 796, and {uacu}t áp{yacu}tan, put out, thrust out, Numbers xvi. 14), which app. gave southern ME. puiten, puyte (= pǖte), and may even have been the source of the late ME. pytten, pitten, pyt, pit. Prof. Sievers thinks that the stem-vowel in OE. pȳtan (:—*pūtjan) was certainly long, and in putian probably so, and suggests that the ME. shortening of the vowel was carried over from the pa. tense and pa. pple. pytte, putte from pȳt-te, pūt-te. The normal conjugation was pa. tense put-te, now put (cf. cut), in ME. and early mod.Eng. also puttede, putted; pa. pple. ME. yput, iputte and putt, now put, also in 14–16th c. putted. But in Sc. and north Eng. dialects, put (or rather its northern form pyt, pit), has been from the 15–16th c. conjugated as a strong vb., with pa. tense pat, pa. pple. putten or pitten (also in Eng. dialects potten); and perhaps the southern ipitte also arose out of *ipitten. With these compare the northern inflexion of hit, hat, hutten or hitten. The variant pot, pott, occurs as an existing dialect form, besides surviving in a differentiated form and sense as pote. The differentiated vb. put², putt (pʌt), used in golf, and in Sc. also in ‘putting the stone’, is conjugated putt, putted, putted, and is thus quite distinct in Sc. from pit, pat, putten, as well as from the ordinary Eng. put, put, put.
    For the earlier history evidence is wanting, but the various forms appear to be parallel formations from a stem pū̆t-, pot-, whence app. also Da. putte to put, put in; but this appears in Kalkar only from the 17th c. Rietz gives a southern Swedish putta (with variants pötta, potta) in two senses: (1) = slå, stöta, knuffa til lindrigt (to strike, knock or push gently); (2) = sticka undan, ställa bort, ‘putta i lomman’ (to put out of the way (or conceal), put away, ‘put in the pocket’). The Welsh pwtio and Gaelic put are from Eng. ME. had also a vb. pulten, pilten (see pilt), which was synonymous with put, and even occurs as a variant reading in 15th c. MSS., but could not be formally related. It became obs. (at least in the senses in question) before 1500. In the sense ‘strike with the head or horns’, ME. putten was in early use synonymous with butten, butt v.¹, by which it has been superseded in literary English; but some dialects retain put in this sense.]
    A. Illustration of Forms and Inflexions. I. From OE. pū̆tian, ME. pū̆te-n, putt-en, mod. put.
    1. inf. and pres. tense. 1 *putian, 2–4 pute(n, 2–5 putten, 3–6 putte, 4–6 (also 7–9 in special senses: see put v.²) putt; 5 (–6 Sc.) pwt, 6 Sc. powt; 4– put.

c 1050 Rule of Chrodegang 99 Þurh deofles putunge..an belæd. c 1175 Puttest [see B. 1]. c 1220 Bestiary 669 A ȝungling raðe to him luteð, his snute him under puteð. 1382 Wyclif John xv. 13 That ony man putte his soule for his frendis. a 1400 R. Brunne's Chron. Wace (Petyt MS.) 8880 Now makes assay, To putte þis stones doun [Lamb. MS. potte þe stones] if ȝe may. 14.. Lydg. Lyke thyr Audience 30 in Pol. Rel. & L. Poems (1903) 48 Thy lyfe to putt in morgage. 1479 J. Paston in P. Lett. III. 265, I must pwt me in God, for her must I be for a season. 1528 in Exch. Rolls Scot. XV. 584 Tak the rentall of Fyf fra the Arsdan and powt in thes berar and his wyf. 1533 Gau Richt Vay 12 Thay quhilk..pwtis noth al thair traist..in hime. 1671 H. M. tr. Erasm. Colloq. 236 Thou indeed puttest me hard to it.

    2. Past tense. (α) 3–6 putte, (4 pudt, 5 pute), 5–7 putt; 4– put.

c 1205 Lay. 18092 He smat hine uuenen þat hæued..And þat sweord putte in his muð. a 1300 Put [see B. 16 b]. 13.. Pudt, putte, put [see B. 1, 25]. c 1470 Henry Wallace iii. 101 The worthi Scottis..putt thair hors thaim fra. c 1477 Caxton Jason Y b, Peleus and his neuewe putte hem to poynte in armes. 1785 Put [see B. 1 d].

    (β) 4 puttede, -ide, 5 -id, -yd, 6 Sc. puttit, 6– putted (see put v.²).

1382 Wyclif Luke i. 66 And alle men that herden puttedyn in her herte. 1388 ― Matt. xxvii. 29 And thei foldiden a coroun of thornes, and putten [v.r. (c 1390–1420) puttiden] on his heed. c 1449, 14.. Puttid, -yd [see B. 10 d, 25]. 1520 Nisbet Sc. N.T., Acts xxviii. 10 (S.T.S.) III. 124 Quhilkis..puttit [1388 Wyclif puttiden] quhat thingis war necessarie. 1575 Laneham Let. (1871) 28 Than putted he in his hostes hande other . v . thousande guldens.

    3. Past pple. (α) 4 y-put, i-put(te, pute, 4–7 putte, putt, 4– put.

13.. Cursor M. 1258 (Cott.) Quen we war put o paradis. c 1340 Hampole Pr. Consc. 6135 To be putt til pastur strayt. 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. xiv. 207 Þere þe pore is put bihynde [1393 C. xvii. 50 yput, v.r. putte]. 1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) VII. 9 His feet þat he hadde with i-putte [v.r. yput] seint Odo his tombe. 1483 Cath. Angl. 295/2 Putte oute, expulsus. 1606 G. W[oodcocke] Lives Emperors in Hist. Ivstine G g 4 His corpes was..putte into the sepulchre. 16.. Sir. W. Mure Sonn. xii. Wks. (S.T.S.) I. 58 Thy epitaph sall then be putt in prent. 1839 Marryat Phant. Ship xii, We might have put the royals on her.

    (β) 4–5 putted, 5 putet, puttid, -yd. See also put v.²

1340 Hampole Pr. Consc. 2055 Þus sal þai..be putted til endeles pyne. c 1450 Mirour Saluacioun 3063 The folk..in to the lake hadde puttid Daniel. 1495 Trevisa's Barth. de P.R. vi. ii. (W. de W.) 187 He is putet [MSS. iput, iputte, put] asyde and buryed.

    II. From OE. potian, ME. pote, poote, potte, mod. dial pot.
    1. Present. (α) 1 potian, 4–5 poten, 6 pote, poote.

c 1000 Potedon [see pote v. 1]. 1382 Wyclif Prov. xix. 18 To the slaȝter..of hym ne poote [Vulg. ne ponas] thou thi soule. ― Isa. lv. 2 Whi poote ȝee vp siluer not in loeues? ― Mark v. 10 He preide hym..that he shulde nat put [v.r. poten] hym out of the cuntreie. 1435–1530 [see pote v. 1].

    (β) 4–5 potte(n, pot, pott.

c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. Wace (Rolls) 8885 Ropes to drawe, tres to potte, Þey schouued, þey þriste, þey stode o strot. c 1385 Chaucer L.G.W. 909 To pottyn [v.rr. putten, puten] hire in swich an aventure. 1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) III. 183 Þey putteþ þeire lif [MS. γ a potteþ here lyf] for wommen. Ibid. 313 Þat he wolde putte [MS. γ potte] of þe fevere by deeþ. Ibid. 333 To putte [MS. γ pot] of alle manere lett of his speche. c 1425 Cast. Persev. 1131 in Macro Plays 111 Speke þi neybour mekyl schame; pot on hem sum fals fame. c 1450 Lovelich Grail xlii. 348 But ȝif ȝe potten þerto Consaille. c 1485 Digby Myst. iii, Mary Magd. 1554 Pott don þe pryd of mamentes violatt!

    2. Past tense. 4–5 potte, 5, 9 dial. pot.

1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) VI. 51 Þe senatoures..putte [MS. γ potte] hym..out of his kyngdom. a 1417 in Cal. Proc. Chanc. Q. Eliz. (1827) I. Introd. 13 Wheche Johan..pot my land to ferme. 1881 J. Sargisson Joe Scoap's Jurneh 16 (Cumbld. Gloss.), T' girt injin screamt, an off we pot.

    3. Past pple. 4–5, 9 dial. pot, 5 poot.

1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) III. 187 After þat Tarquinius was put [MS. γ pot] out of Rome. 1480 Newcastle Merch. Vent. (Surtees) I. 2 At the mony of the said fines..be poot in the said box. 1878 Cumbld. Gloss., Pot, Pat, has put, did put.

    III. From OE. pȳtan, ME. puite, puyt(e.
    pres. 1 p{yacu}tan, 4 puite, puyt(e.

11.. OE. Chron. an. 796 (MS. F) Ceolwulf..let him pytan ut his eaᵹan & ceorfan of his handa. c 1330 Spec. Gy Warw. 923 Þin almesse þu shalt forþ puite [rime luite]. 1362 Langl. P. Pl. A. vi. 100 And puiteþ forþ pruide to preisen þi-seluen. Ibid. xi. 42 And puyteþ forþ presumpciun. a 1400 Minor Poems fr. Vernon MS. 598/527 Auyse þe wel in þi þouȝt, Puyt þi strengþe in-to prou.

    IV. From ME. pytte(n, pitte(n, pyt, mod. dial. pyt, pit. (With putte and pitte, cf. cutte and kitte: cut v.)
    1. Present. Now only north. dial. and Sc. 4–5 pitt, 5 pyt, 7 pitte, 6– pit.

c 1400 Wyclif's Bible Luke xii. 25 Who of ȝou..may adde [v.r. pitt] o cubite to his stature? c 1420 Liber Cocorum (1862) 33 In erþyne pot þou shalt hit pyt [rime hit]. 1588 A. King tr. Canisius' Catech. I. viij, Pitting sic men in thair kallendar for sanctes. 1641 Best Farm. Bks. (Surtees) 32 Hammer to pitte the strickle with to make it keepe. 1786 Burns Twa Dogs 69 What poor cot-folk pit their painch in. 1816 Scott Antiq. xxxviii, If we didna pit hand til 't oursell. 1865 G. Macdonald A. Forbes 2, I jist dinna like to pit the lid ower him.

    2. Past tense. (α) 4 pitte; 9 Sc. pit (in E.D.D.).

1390 Gower Conf. III. 369 As he pitte forth his hond Upon my body, wher I lay.

    (β) 6– Sc. and north. dial. pat.

1533 Gau Richt Vay 48 The halie spreit..the quilk..pat in thaime the luiff of god. 1549 [see B. 10]. c 1650 in Sir R. Gordon Hist. Earls of Sutherl. (1813) 242 The messingers..pat them all in such a fray. 1787 Burns Death & Dr. Hornbook vi, Something..That pat me in an eerie swither. 1878 Cumbld. Gloss., Pat,..did put.

    3. Past pple. (α) 4–5 ipit, ypitte (4 ? pett), 5–6 Sc. pit.

[13.. K. Alis. 7495 Þou art ful of þewes pett.] a 1400 Pol. Rel. & L. Poems (1903) 268 Hou þi fairnisse is bi-spit, Hou þi swetnisse is i-betin and ipit. c 1400 Wyclif's Bible Luke xii. 19 Thou hast many goodis kept [v.r. pit vp]. c 1440 Palladius on Husb. i. 1119 With brymstoon resolute ypitte [rime slitte]. 1501 Acc. Ld. High Treas. Scot. II. 128 Ane masoun in Faukland that wes pit fra the werk.

    (β) 5, 7–9 Sc. and north. dial. putten, (5 -yn), 9 pitten, potten (in Eng. Dial. Dict.).

c 1400 Destr. Troy 11434 Braunches..of bright Olyue.. puttyn O lofte. c 1450 Merlin i. 18 As touchynge this that is putten on my moder. ? a 1700 Edom o' Gordon iii. in Child Ballads (1889) III. 430 She had nae sooner busket her sell Nor putten on her gown. 1804 R. Anderson Cumbld. Ball. 113 A chubby-feac'd angel o' top on't they've putten. 1827 T. Wilson Pitman's Pay i. 52 (Northumbld. Gloss.) Aa've hewed and putten twee and twenty. 1876 Whitby Gloss., Putten, put or placed.

    B. Signification. I. To thrust, push, and allied senses, in which the application of force is expressed.
    † 1. a. trans. To thrust, push (with or without resulting change of position), to shove; to knock. Obs.
    In literary use after the 16th c. the sense ‘thrust’ occurs in contexts which make it indistinguishable from sense 10.

c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 15 Ȝif þu me puttest in þet eȝe, ic þin alswa, dunt a-ȝein dunt. c 1205 Lay. 30780 Þe an hine putte hiderward, and þe oðer hine putte ȝeondward. 13.. Cursor M. 12292 (Gött.) Leue sun, me say, queþer þu pudt [Cott. putte] þe child or nai? 13.. Minor Poems fr. Vernon MS. xxxvii. 359 Ȝif eny mon a-gult aȝeynes þe, Smyteþ or elles puiteþ þe. c 1440 Promp. Parv. 417/2 Puttyn, or schowwyn,..impello, trudo, pello.

    b. To butt with the head or horns. Now n. dial.

c 1430 Pilgr. Lyf Manhode i. xv. (1869) 10, j shulde putte and hustle þe yuel folk with myne hornes. 1523 Fitzherb. Husb. §70 The beastes with theyr hornes wyll put bothe horses and the shepe, and gore them in theyr bellyes. 1828 Craven Gloss. (ed. 2), Put, to push with the horns.

    † c. fig. To urge, incite, instigate. Obs. See putting vbl. n.¹ 1 b.
    † d. absol. or intr. To deal a thrust or blow, to give a push or knock; to push, knock (at, on, etc.). Now north. dial. To butt.

c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. Wace (Rolls) 8890 When þey ofte hadde put & þryst & ilk man do what hym do lyst. c 1375 Cursor M. 11817 (Fairf.) Þe parlesi puttis in his side [Trin. smoot his oon side]. 1398 Trevisa Barth. De P.R. vi. iv. (Tollem. MS.), When þe body..fongeþ soule, and lyf, and begynneþ to meue it selfe, and sprawle and putteþ with feet and hondis [orig. manibus et pedibus calcitrare]. c 1425 Seven Sag. (P.) 1357 The wyf fonde the dore faste,..Scho pute at the dore in hye. c 1450 St. Cuthbert (Surtees) 6250 With' his croche on him he putt. 1504 Sel. Cases Crt. Star Chamber (Selden) 212 [Men on boats] with hookis & sparris of iron..puttith at the seid Brigge & greetly Fretith lowsith..& castyth downe the stones. 1684 [Meriton] Yorksh. Dial. 12 (E.D.S.) Whaugh, Mother, how she rowts! Ise varra Arfe, Shee'l put, and rive my good Prunella Scarfe. 1785 Hutton Bran New Wark 17 They say she yance hed horns and put furiously.

    † e. intr. fig. To make a push, to exert oneself.

1616 B. Jonson Devil an Ass i. i. (1905) 7 Stay i' your place..and put not Beyond the spheare of your actiuity. 1619 Fletcher False One iv. iii, If it be possible That an arch⁓villain may ever be recover'd, This penitent rascal will put hard.

    2. a. trans. To propel (a stone or weight) mainly by the swing of the body from the right hand raised and placed close to the shoulder: as an athletic exercise. Usually in phr. putting the stone (shot, weight). See also put, putt v.² 2.

c 1300 Havelok 1044 For neuere yete ne saw he or Putten þe stone, or þanne þor. a 1518 Skelton Magnyf. 406 They haue made me here to put the stone. 1653 Urquhart Rabelais i. xxiii. (1737) I. 223 He did cast the dart, throw the bar, put the stone. 1724, 1816 [see put v.2 2]. 1862 Smiles Engineers III. 25 Lifting heavy weights, throwing the hammer and putting the stone. 1884 H. C. Bunner in Harper's Mag. Jan. 304/1 The Scottish-Americans will teach you to put the shot. 1889 Boy's Own Paper 7 Sept. 780/1 The same plan can be adopted for both putting the weight and the broad jump.

    b. intr. Also to put at (or with) the stone.
    For the later Sc. absolute use of this, see put v.² 2 b.

c 1300 Havelok 1033 Hwo so mithe putten þore Biforn a-noþer, an inch or more..He was for a kempe told. Ibid. 1051 Þat heui ston, Þat he sholde puten wiþe. c 1440 J. Capgrave St. Kath. i. 763 As well in wrestyllyng as puttyng at þe ston. 1535 Coverdale 2 Macc. iv. 14 To leape, to daunce, & to put at y⊇ stone.

    3. a. trans. To thrust or plunge (a weapon) † home, or into a body; to drive or send a missile through. Phr. to put a (one's) knife into, to stab; to put a bullet through, to shoot.
    Now felt as a euphemistic use of sense 10.

c 1205 [see A. I. 2]. 1382 Wyclif John xix. 37 Thei schulen se in to whom they piȝten [v.rr. putteden, putten; Vulg. transfixerunt] thorw. a 1425 Cursor M. 16838 (Trin.) Þe iewes made him þourȝe his side to put hit [a spear] sone anone. 1590 Reg. Privy Counc. Scotl. IV. 486 Threitnyt to put twa bullettis throw his heid. 1604 Shakes. Oth. v. i. 2 Weare thy good Rapier bare, and put it home. 1700 T. Brown Amusem. Ser. & Com. 51 Mistresses, as a Man would desire to put his Knife into. 1894 [see knife n. 1 b].

    † b. fig. (Cf. home-thrust.)

1603 B. Jonson Sejanus II. ii, That trick was well put home; and had succeeded too, But that [etc.]. 1657 Sanderson Serm. (1674) I. 1 Their hypocrisie he putteth home to them. 1719 De Foe Crusoe (1840) II. xii. 257, I should..find an opportunity to put it home to them.

    4. Coal-mining. To propel (a tram or barrow of coal), orig. by pushing behind; now also by means of a pony, a stationary engine, etc. (Cf. putter n.¹ 6.) Also absol.

1708 J. C. Compl. Collier 36 These Persons..put or pull away the full Curves of Coals. 1708 39 [see corf 2]. 1770–4 A. Hunter Georg. Ess. (1804) II. 159 They are employed..in putting or drawing the coals. 1812 [see putter n.1 6]. 1851 Greenwell Coal-trade Terms Northumb. & Durh. 7 The average day's work of a barrow⁓man,..when putting alone,..is equal..to..3.0580 tons pushed a distance of one mile. 1883 Gresley Gloss. Coal Mining, Put, to haul coal, etc. underground.

    † 5. a. To drive; to send by force or command. to put again: to drive back, repel. Obs.

1375 Barbour Bruce xii. 355 And how at thai war put agane And part of thair gud men wes slane. Ibid. xvii. 396 The defendouris..can thame payne Till put thair fais fors agane. 1382 Wyclif Ecclus. xiii. 13 Be thou not to gredi, lest thou be put aȝeen [Vulg. ne impingaris]. c 1394 P. Pl. Crede 308 Paul primus heremita put vs him-selue Awey into wildernes þe werlde to dispisen. c 1400 Destr. Troy 1796 Fro Priam full prist put am I hider, As a messynger made at þis mene tyme. a 1533 Ld. Berners Huon lx. 210 He hath..chasyd & put fro him all noble men.

    b. Naut. Of the wind or a storm: To drive or cast (a ship) on or from shore, to sea, etc. ? Obs.

1569 Sir J. Hawkins 2nd Voy. (Hakl. Soc.) III. 515 The ordinary Brise taking us,..put us, the 24th [June] from the shoare. 1579–80 North Plutarch, Romulus (1595) 20 Certaine Troians, which..were by windes put to the Thvscane shore. 1612 Daborne Chr. turned Turke B 2 b, Nay, then we are put from shore. 1780 Young Tour Irel. I. 229 One..on her voyage was put ashore at Black Sod.

    6. trans. To launch (persons, a boat, a fleet, etc.).

1470–85 Malory Arthur i. xxviii. 75 All were put in a ship to the see. 1639, 1892 [see put off 45 n (c)]. 1877 C. M. Yonge Cameos Ser. iii. xv. 132 He put a fleet to sea.

    † 7. refl. To embark on a sea voyage (to, into, or in the sea, to sail); = 8 a. Obs.

1375 Barbour Bruce iv. 441 In hy thai put thame to the se, And rowit fast with all thare mayn. c 1425 Eng. Conq. Irel. (1896) 134 He put hym to saylle at Melyford. 1456 Sir G. Haye Law Arms (S.T.S.) 39 Thai put thame in the see, and thocht to passe in Lombardye. c 1500 Melusine xxiv. 178 They were in nombre six knightes and þeire companye, which putte them in to the see.

    8. Naut. intr. To set out, set forth, proceed, take one's course (to sea, into harbour, etc.).
    See also put back, 40 f; put forth, 43 k; put in, 45 f; put off, 46 n; put out, 48 j; put over, 50 e; put to, 53 e.

1590 Shakes. Com. Err. v. i. 21 My honest friend, Who but for staying on our Controuersie, Had hoisted saile, and put to sea to day. 1595 T. Maynarde Drake's Voy. (Hakl. Soc.) 7 We putting for the shore of the Canaries..found a great seege. c 1595 Capt. Wyatt R. Dudley's Voy. W. Ind. (Hakl. Soc.) 42 Insteed of goinge to the ilande of Trinidado, putt into a bay of the maine. 1612 Dekker If it be not good Wks. 1873 III. 312 Thou putst into a Sea, thou canst not sound. 1748 Anson's Voy. iii. viii. 379 With a view of preventing them from putting before the wind. 1838 Thirlwall Greece IV. xxviii. 57 Clearchus..after having put into Delos for shelter, returned to Miletus. 1890 Temple Bar Mag. June 180 He stepped into a fishing-boat and put to land. 1899 Westm. Gaz. 5 Oct. 5/1 Erin..was among the first vessels to put down the bay this morning.

    b. intr. To set out; to start; to pass, make one's way. Obs. exc. U.S. colloq., to make off, be off, ‘clear out’. Cf. put off 46 n (b), put out 47 j (c).

c 1400 Destr. Troy 8987 Deffibus drogh furth.., Then Paris with prise put next after. a 1518 Skelton Magnyf. 1330 Foly hath a rome, I say, in euery route; To put where he lyst, Foly hath fre chace. 1839 Marryat Diary Amer. Ser. i. II. 231 Clear out, quit, and put—all mean ‘be off’. ‘Captain, now, you hush or put’. 1897 Outing (U.S.) XXX. 176/1 The pair..glanced apprehensively at me, then they put for home like a tandem team.

    c. intr. Of a stream, etc.: To make its way, to flow (into or out of a larger piece of water). U.S. Also of sap: to flow (in some direction). Obs.

1615 W. Lawson Country Housew. Gard. 37 Where you take any thing away, the sap the next summer will be putting. a 1626 Bacon Sylva §616 In the fibrous [roots], the sap delighteth more in the earth, and therefore putteth down⁓ward. 1773 P. V. Fithian Jrnl. (1900) 56 From his house we see the Potowmack, and a fine River putting from it. 1807 P. Gass Jrnl. 172 A small river which puts into a large bay on the south side of the Columbia. 1810 F. Cuming Sk. Tour Western Country xiii. 97 The creek..puts in from the Virginia side. 1903 A. Adams Log of Cowboy 347 The trail on leaving the river led up Many Berries, one of the tributaries of the Yellowstone putting in from the north side.

    9. intr. Of a plant: To shoot out or grow; to send forth shoots or sprouts; to sprout, bud; cf. put forth (43 g). Now dial.

1615 W. Lawson Country Housew. Gard. (1626) 29 Some [graffes]..keeping proud and greene, will not put till the second yeere. a 1626 Bacon Sylva §653 The roots of trees do some of them put downwards deep into the ground. 1848 Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc. IX. ii. 367 The one arm..still shows life, and puts into leaf, and produces acorns. 1893–4 Northumbld. Gloss., Put, to vegetate, as when a plant begins to show the first sign of buds. ‘Aa see its aall reet; it's puttin’.

    II. To move (a thing or person) physically into or out of some place or local position.
    A weakening of the sense ‘thrust’ or ‘push’, with elimination of the notion of dynamic force; which is, however, often still traceable in senses 10 and 10 b.
    10. a. trans. To move (a thing) so as to place it in some situation (with reference to the result rather than the process); to cause to get into or be in some place or position expressed or implied (see also the phrases with preps. and advs., 31–56); to place, lay, set.
    The most general word for this sense, which cannot be so simply expressed by any other word or phrase, and which is more or less implied, literally or metaphorically, in nearly all the other senses that are still in use. The original notion of ‘thrust’, ‘set or insert with some force’ is still traceable in some contexts, esp. when followed by into or in.

c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 53 Þis faȝe folc.. speket alse feire bi-foren heore euencristene alse heo heom walde in to heore bosme puten. a 1225 Ancr. R. 116 Nout one monglinde honden, auh puten honden utward. a 1300 Cursor M. 4762 (Cott.) Soruful war þai..þat had noght to put in þair mouth. Ibid. 15797 In þe forel þou pute þi suerd. 1382 Wyclif Matt. iii. 10 For now the axe is putt [1388 put] to the rote of the tree. c 1400 Mandeville (1839) xxii. 235 Putteth ȝoure honde vpon ȝoure hede. 1434 E.E. Wills (1882) 102/10 A litel cofur to putte in his smale thynges. 1549 Compl. Scot. Ep. 5 The duc of guise..pat ane garnison of tua thousand men vitht in the toune of sanct quintyne. 1576 Fleming Panopl. Epist. 370 As he was putting the pot to his lips ready to drinke. 1623 B. Jonson On Portrait Shaks., This Figure, that thou here seest put, It was for gentle Shakespeare cut. 1699 T. Brown in R. L'Estrange Erasm. Colloq. (1725) 336 Put your Hand to your Heart and tell me fairly. a 1756 Eliza Heywood New Present (1771) 43 Put about an ounce of butter into a frying-pan. 1760 Foote Minor ii. Wks. 1799 I. 269 Bread, greens, potatoes, and a leg of mutton, A better sure a table ne'er was put on. 1818 in Willis & Clark Cambridge (1886) I. 573 Putting some ornamental Clumps of Trees or Shrubs to break the line. 1843 R. J. Graves Syst. Clin. Med. xxxi. 422 The patient..had an issue put into the top of the head. 1844 R. M. Beverley Ch. Eng. Exam. (ed. 2) 150 When they are thus put on the rails..the train will go forward. 1855 Macaulay Hist. Eng. xvii. IV. 37 A sealed packet was put into his hands. 1865 Ruskin Sesame i. §35 You have put a railroad bridge over the fall of Schaffhausen. 1872 Geo. Eliot Middlem. viii, Somebody put a drop under a magnifying glass. 1883 Daily Tel. 15 May 2/7 Mr. Cave put his next ball to leg for 2. Mod. He put the key in his pocket.

    b. To remove, dismiss, expel, send away; to turn away, or divert from. Obs. or arch. Also to put..off: to divert from, cause to give up. So to put beside, besides (B. 4 c), and by (A. 16 c).
    The original notion of ‘thrust’ or ‘push’ is often traceable; see also put away (39), put off (46), put out (48).

13.. Cursor M. 29355 Fra sacrament þai sal be put bot þai repent. c 1400 Destr. Troy 267 Fortune..will put hym fro purpos þat he presys after. c 1430 Hymns Virg. 93 He puttiþ his hauke fro his fist. a 1450 Knt. de la Tour (1906) 93 To putte a good man from his right. 1470–85 Malory Arthur x. lxxi. 537 Ye putte me from my worship now. 1539 Bible (Great) Ps. xliii. 2 Why hast thou put thee from me? 1590 Sir J. Smyth Disc. Weapons Ded. viij b, Vppon the occasion of anie battaile, to put their horses from them. 1618 Fletcher Loyal Subject v. ii, Rashly I thought her false, and put her from me. 1732 Neal Hist. Purit. I. 118 Princess Elizabeth..was led in by the Traitor's gate; her own servants being put from her. 1862 Temple Bar Mag. VI. 331 Don't be put off this by any consideration of weight or expense. 1883 M. E. Mann Parish Hilby xix, She could not put from her some feeling of pride.

    c. To place (an article of apparel or an ornament) on, upon (also † off) the body. See also put on, put off (47 c, 46 d).

1382 Wyclif 2 Kings xi. 12 He brouȝt forthe the sone of the kyng, and putte vpon hym a dyademe. 1422 tr. Secreta Secret., Priv. Priv. 200 He..Put of hym his clothis and hym clothyd in Sake. 1484 Caxton Fables of æsop ii. xv, None ought to were and putte on hym the gowne of other. 1560 J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 25 He putteth also a rynge on his Fynger. Ibid. 43 a, He hath put vpon him an albe and a Vestement. 1611 Bible Luke xv. 22 Bring foorth the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shooes on his feete.

    d. spec. To place upon or affix to a writing or document (a title, seal, signature, name, etc.).

c 1449 Pecock Repr. v. ii, Whenne to a certein book which y have mad y puttid this name, The rule of Cristen religioun. 1762 North Briton No. 12 To bring the name into contempt by putting it to two insipid tragedies. 1776 Trial of Nundocomar 22/2 He put his seal to letters. 1864 J. H. Newman Apol. iv. (1904) 132/1 To this number..I also put my initials. Mod. It seems to be in his handwriting, but he hasn't put his name to it. Put a tick against the names you know. Put a cross against the name of the candidate you approve.

    e. To harness (a draught animal) to a vehicle; to place in the shafts of a cart, etc.

1565 Cooper Thesaurus s.v. Iungo, To couple or put horses in the carte... To put lions to draw the chariote... To put the horses to the carte. 1716 Lond. Gaz. No. 5461/2 The Ammunition-Waggons should have the Horses put to them. 1815 M. Pilkington Celebrity II. 29 Whilst fresh horses were putting [= being put] to his chariot. 1847 Marryat Childr. N. Forest v, He..put Billy [the pony] in the cart to draw him home.

    f. To introduce (a male animal to a female, or vice versa) for breeding. Also const. ellipt.

1523 Fitzherb. Husb. §37 What tyme of the yere the rammes shulde be put to the ewes. 1577 B. Googe Heresbach's Husb. iii. (1586) 126 b, Neither must you put him to a yoong mare. 1607 Topsell Four-f. Beasts (1658) 88 If two males be put to one female, they fight fiercely. 1758 R. Brown Compl. Farmer (1759) 21 They are put to the bull about July. 1819 Keats Let. 22 Sept. in G. G. Williamson Keats Mem. Vol. (1921) 120 Chowder died long ago—Mrs. H. laments that the last time they put him (i.e. to breed) he didn't take. 1864 Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc. XXV. i. 221 The mares..if put to a good thoroughbred horse would produce good hunters.

    g. To convey (a person, etc.) across a river, etc.; to transport; to set down on the other side.

a 1649 Winthrop New Eng. (1825) I. 184 Cattle..which came late, and could not be put over the river, lived very well all the winter without any hay. 1891 C. Roberts Adrift Amer. 204, I went to the ferryman and told him if he would put me across that..I would pay him when I came back again. 1893 F. C. Selous Trav. S.E. Africa 61 He at once agreed to put me across the river in one of his large boats.

    h. Stock-jobbing. To deliver (stock or produce) at a specified price within a specified time: cf. put n.¹ 4.

1814 Stock Exchange Laid Open Gloss., Put their Bears, selling to put more to it, if the seller choose on a certain day at the same price. 1885 Daily News 13 Mar. 2/1 Those who desire to buy the option of ‘putting’—i.e. delivering—Russian stock on the present basis of prices during the next six weeks. 1895 Westm. Gaz. 9 Nov. 6/1 If his tone with regard to the political outlook is favourable operators will ‘call’ the stock; if otherwise, they hope to be able to ‘put’ it.

    i. with abstract obj., in various shades of meaning: see quots. (See also the phrases mentioned under 57.)

c 1374 Chaucer Compl. Mars 229 He that wroght her..That put suche beaute in her face That made me coueten and purchace. a 1425 Cursor M. 3563 (Trin.) Whenne þat he bicomeþ olde Vnwelde putt at him a pulle. 1594 Shakes. Rich. III, i. iii. 131 Let me put in your mindes, if you forget, What you haue beene ere this, and what you are. 1598 [see life n. 4]. 1707 Freind Peterborow's Cond. Sp. 219 Your Excellencies..conduct..has..put new lives into the Ministers. 1812 Chalmers Jrnl. 12 Mar. in Life (1851) I. 277, I..am greatly struck with the quantity of business which he [Doddridge] put through his hands. 1889 F. Barrett Under Strange Mask II. xiv. 78 The thing had been put before her in such vivid reality.

    III. To place or bring (a thing or person) in or into some relation, or into some condition, state, mode, or form.
    * Where the notion of motion in space is subordinated to that of relation.
    11. a. To place (a thing or person) in or into the hands or power of, in or under the care of a person; † formerly also in, to, unto the person; † to commit or entrust to a person, to be dealt with, protected, etc. Often refl.

c 1375 Cursor M. 20795 (Fairf.) Putte al in him þat is of miȝt. Ibid. 25353 For-þi putte al in goddis hande. 1399 Langl. Rich. Redeles Prol. 78, I put me in his power. a 1400–50 Alexander 2861 Let ane dryue to Dary & bede him dryffe sone, Or put him to my powere. 1429 in 10th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm. App. v. 330 The said William putt him to grace. c 1440 Alphabet of Tales 207 All þe gudis att he had, he putt þaim vnto þe bisshopp. 1470–85 Malory Arthur xix. v. 778 Now I put me holy in to your grace. 1553 Respublica ii. ii. 507 Will ye putte yourselfe nowe wholye into my handes? 1583 Golding Calvin on Deut. xv. 90 Let vs put ourselues to his protection. 1588 Allen Admon. 38 A prince that was put to him for an ostage. 1662 Gerbier Princ. 26 Builders put their design to Master-Workmen by the Great, or have it Wrought by the Day. 1843 R. J. Graves Syst. Clin. Med. xxix. 366 A very fine healthy young man put himself under my care for chancre. 1882 R. G. Wilberforce Life Bp. Wilberf. III. xv. 424 He wished ‘to put himself in my hands’ for our journey to Holmbury.

    † b. To commit (a person) to another for the purpose of being educated or trained in a business; to place with; to apprentice to. Obs.

1632 Brome Crt. Beggar i. i, To put you to some Tellers Clearke to teach you Ambo-dexterity in telling money. 1716–20 Lett. fr. Mist's Jrnl. (1722) I. 184 Tom was put Clerk to an Attorney in the Temple. 1772 Johnson 5 Apr. in Boswell, I would not put a boy to him, whom I intended for a man of learning.

    12. To place, set, or cause to be in some place or position, in a general or figurative sense, or when the name of a thing or place stands for its purpose, as to put a person to bed, put to school, put in ward, put in prison, to put a thing to sale, put on the market, put on the stage, etc.

1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) VIII. 323 Þe Kyng of Engelond..was i-putte in ward, in þe castel of Kelynsworþe. 1416 Satir. Proclam. in Pol. Rel. & L.P. 13 For my curtesie I was put to the Soudenys house & was made vssher of halle. c 1440 Promp. Parv. 417/2 Puttyn a thynge to syllyn. a 1450 Knt. de la Tour (1906) 117 Yong women, maydenes, shulde be putte vnto scole to lerne vertuous thinges of the scripture. 1560 J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 453 To put the kinges sonne or his brother in to the possession of Scotlande. 1561 Winȝet Cert. Tractates i. Wks. (S.T.S.) I. 7 Putand in the place of godly ministeris..dum doggis. 1620 E. Blount Horæ Subs. 106 That haue not been by any casualtie, or accident put behinde hand in the world. 1635 R. N. Camden's Hist. Eliz. iii. 374 His goods were put to port sale. 1698 Fryer Acc. E. India & P. 122 Having others put over their heads. 1850 J. H. Newman Serm. Var. Occas. xii. (1881) 229 He was ever putting himself in the background. 1879 M. J. Guest Lect. Hist. Eng. xxviii. 283 The landlords even strongly objected to their serfs putting their children to school. 1897 Tit-Bits 4 Dec. 172/2 If..some new patent is being put on the market, it is an opportunity that our traveller will not miss.

    13. To place with or in, by way of addition; to add. Const. to († unto), in. a. with material obj.

c 1430 Two Cookery-bks. 32 Take halfe a dosyn Chykonys..þen putte þer-to a gode gobet of freysshe Beef. Ibid. 40 Þen put pouder Pepir, & þrow it þer-on. 1703 Art & Myst. Vintners 33 Put thereto a gallon of Milk. Ibid. 61 Then take 8 gallons of Soot and put to it. 1764 E. Moxon Eng. Housew. (ed. 9) 82 Take twelve eggs, beat them well, put to them a pint of cream. a 1849 E. Elliott More Verse & Prose I. 21 Said Death to Pol Sly, ‘Put no rum in thy tea’. 1891 Gd. Words Aug. 532/2 They put water to their wine.

    b. with immaterial obj.

1382 Wyclif Rev. xxii. 18 If ony man shal put to to thes [Vulg. apposuerit ad hæc], God shal putte vpon him [apponet super illum] the plages writun in this book. 1535 Coverdale Ecclus. xviii. 6 There maye nothinge be taken from them, nothinge maye be put vnto them. 1623 Lisle ælfric on O. & N. Test. Pref. 4 The invention of a thing..is very hard and rare: yet easie is it for a man to eeke and put somewhat thereto.

    14. To place, insert, or enter (a name or an item) in a list, account, or table. Now more usually (esp. in certain connexions) put down (see 42 i).

1513–25 in Ellis Orig. Lett. (K. O.), Put me in his wylle. 1611 Shakes. Wint. T. iv. iii. 131 Let me be vnrold, and my name put in the booke of Vertue. 1611 Bible 1 Chron. xxvii. 24 Neither was the number put in the account of the Chronicles of King Dauid. 1687 Settle Refl. Dryden 27 The poorest Servitour in the University would tell him that putting so much upon a mans name, had signified placing so much to his account. 1692 Washington tr. Milton's Def. Pop. M.'s Wks. 1738 I. 535 Assure your selves, you are like to be put in the black List. 1735 J. Hughes tr. Fontenelle's Dial. ii. i. (ed. 3) 62 They could not all be put into a Panegyrick, but into a Satyr they might. 1828 J. H. Moore's Pract. Navig. (ed. 20) 138 Those are generally put in a table, against the names of their respective places in an alphabetical order.

    ** Where there is no notion of physical motion.
    15. To place (a thing or person) in a scale of estimation or a classification; to allot a place to in thought, opinion, or statement; † also, to regard or suppose (a thing) to be (so-and-so) (obs.).
    to put..at: to estimate or price at (a certain value). † to put at no reverence: to hold in no esteem. † to put before: to give the precedence to; so † to put behind.

1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. xiv. 207 Þe riche is reuerenced by resoun of his richchesse, Þere þe pore is put behynde. c 1380 Wyclif Serm. Sel. Wks. I. 390 Matheu..takiþ two bigynneris, Daviþ and Abraham;..Daviþ was putt bifore for worshipe and acordaunce, alȝif Abraham was bifore. c 1380 ― Wks. (1880) 31 No man owiþ to putt by-hynde goddis biddynge and þe byddynge of a synful man bifore. c 1400 Destr. Troy 4874, I put not vnpossible yon place for to take. c 1400 Three Kings Cologne 134 Þe bodyes and þe Reliqes of .iij. holy kyngis were put at [v.r. had in] no reuerence. 1660 Barrow Euclid v. xiv. 103 If A be put equall to C, then C.B::eA. Bf::C.D.g. 1803 [see income-tax]. 1846 Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc. VII. ii. 288 The rental of this field is put too high at 50s. 1857 Ruskin Pol. Econ. Art Add. No. 8 §5 There are three weighty matters of the law—justice, mercy, and truth; and of these the Teacher puts truth last... But men put, in all their efforts, truth first. 1865 ― Sesame i. §5 Whether you think I am putting the motives of popular action too low. 1890 Lippincott's Mag. Jan. 79 A circulation which a competent authority puts at three millions.

    16. a. To convert or change into something else (obs.); esp. to translate or render into another language or form of expression.

c 1400 Mandeville (1839) Prol. 5, I haue put this boke out of latyn into frensch, and translated it aȝen out of frensch into englyssch. 1607 Topsell Four-f. Beasts (1658) 487 If a man would change any part of his Horses hair, as..take away the black hairs and put them into white. 1742 Fielding Jos. Andrews iii. iii, We..put our small fortune [invested in effects]..into money. 1743 Emerson Fluxions 129 Put these Equations into Fluxions. 1893 Liddon, etc., Life Pusey I. i. 32, ‘I never knew’, Keble once said, ‘how Pindar might be put into English until I heard Pusey construe him in his examination’.

    b. To express (something) in spoken or written words; to turn into speech or writing, or into some particular form of speech or writing.

a 1300 Sat. People Kildare xi. in E.E.P. (1862) 154 Sleiȝ he was..Þat þis lore put in writte. c 1369 Chaucer Dethe Blaunche 54 Fables That..other poetes put in ryme. 1542 Sir. N. Uyllagon Lam. & Pit. Treat. Addr. in Harl. Misc. (Malh.) I, Put in writing the ordre and estate of my voyage. 1668–9 Pepys Diary 14 Feb., I do purpose to put in writing that which shall make the Treasurers ashamed. 1879 M. J. Guest Lect. Hist. Eng. xix. 185 Henry's principal plans..were put into writing. Ibid. xxii. 218 Thoughts which they did not know how to put into words.

    c. To express or state (in a particular way).

1699 Bentley Phal. xv. 481 Was ever any Declamator's Theme so extravagantly put? 1729 Butler Serm. Forgiven. Injuries Wks. 1874 II. 116 This natural notion of equity the son of Sirach has put in the strongest way. 1836 Marryat Japhet lxxiii, This new feature of the case, so aptly put by the old lawyer. 1867 Gd. Words 597/2 The French have such a brilliant, graceful, and ingenious way of ‘putting things’. 1881 Saintsbury Dryden i. 13 One thing..I have never seen fairly put as accounting for the complete royalization of nearly the whole people. 1883 Harper's Mag. Oct. 751/2 This was putting it strong. 1889 F. Pigot Str. Journ. 301 He heard a good story well put.

    17. To assign or attribute one thing to another in some relation. a. To assign or set (a quality, meaning, value, price) on, upon, to († in) a thing.

c 1380 Wyclif Wks. (1880) 3 It is a fendis pride a synful creature to putte defautte in þe ordynaunce of crist. 1519 Four Elem. in Hazl. Dodsley I. 24 For physic putteth this reason thereto. 1530 [see fault n. 7 a]. 1608 Willet Hexapla Exod. 338 Our Sauiour reproueth the Pharisees for washing of their hands..because they put holinesse therein. 1657 Earl of Monmouth tr. Paruta's Pol. Disc. 79 That high esteem which is deservedly put upon the Roman Affairs. 1668 Pepys Diary 25 Nov., I do see that he do continue to put a value on my advice. a 1708 Bp. Beveridge Thes. Theol. (1710) II. 155 Putting the best construction upon all men's words and actions. 1711 Addison Spect. No. 1 ¶2 That was the Interpretation which the Neighbourhood put upon it. 1871 Freeman Norm. Conq. IV. xvii. §2. 31 This too we need not doubt, at least in the sense which the great Survey enables us to put upon it. 1885 Law Rep. 29 Chanc. Div. 463 A gloss is put upon these documents which they will not bear. 1890 Temple Bar Mag. Aug. 493 Watteau sometimes put ridiculously low prices upon his work.

    b. To assign or ascribe (a thing) to something else as cause, reason, or basis; to regard or represent as based upon or arising from; to base, found, rest upon.

1722 De Foe Plague (1754) 222, I reflect upon no Man for putting the Reason of those Things upon the immediate Hand of God. 1729 Butler Serm. Wks. 1874 II. 155 A plain rule of life..has..put the principle of virtue upon the love of our neighbour. 1818 Cruise Digest (ed. 2) V. 597 It was said generally, and was not put upon any custom. 1864 J. H. Newman Apol. ii. (1904) 29/2, I would have no dealings with my brother, and I put my conduct upon a syllogism. 1884 Sir J. Stephen in Law Rep. 12 Q.B. Div. 282, I wish to put my judgment on the plain and broad ground already stated.

    18. To apply to a use or purpose.

c 1400 Mandeville (1839) Prol. 3 The comoun peple, þat wolde putte here bodyes and here catell, for to conquere oure heritage. 1483 Caxton G. de la Tour H iij b, To put remedye therto. 1568 Grafton Chron. II. 263 They put all their goodes vnto the Englishmens pleasures. 1604 E. G[rimstone] D'Acosta's Hist. Indies vi. xv. 463 The Indians tilled and put to profite the Inguas lands. 1628 Earle Microcosm. xiv. (Arb.) 35 No man puts his Braine to more vse than hee. 1671 Milton Samson 37 O glorious strength Put to the labour of a Beast. a 1700 Locke (J.) The great difference in the notions of mankind is from the different use they put their faculties to. 1847 Marryat Childr. N. Forest viii, To what uses are they to be put?

    19. To set mentally or conceptually in the place of (something else); to substitute (one thing) for another, in thought or expression.

1483 Cath. Angl. 295/2 To Putte a thinge for a noder, reciprocare. 1560 Bible (Genev.) Isa. v. 20 Which put darknes for light, and light for darkenesse. 1631 Gouge God's Arrows i. §47. 83 Figuratively..a speciall put for the generall, it signifieth the pestilence. 1659 Sir A. A. Cooper in Burton's Diary (1828) IV. 284 It is clearly a putting others in their place, and is setting up a thing that is quite contrary. 1715 tr. Pancirollus' Rerum Mem. I. 2 In Pliny, Purple is often put for the Chief Magistrate. 1865 Ruskin Sesame i. §25 Putting ourselves always in the author's place. 1870 Reade (title) Put yourself in his place.

    20. a. To establish or introduce and bring to bear (a state, condition, relation, or alteration) in, on, or to an existing thing, action, or state of things. Chiefly, now only, in special phrases.
    † to put (no) doubt (obs.): to raise or ‘make’ (no) doubt. † to put order to (obs.): to take measures for (cf. to take order s.v. order n. 14). to put an end, stop, period to: to bring to an end, to stop, to cause to cease: see the ns. So to put a check, stopper, veto on (= to check, stop, or forbid), and similar phrases. colloq. phr. to put paid to: to deal finally or effectually with (a person); to terminate (aspirations, hopes, etc.); to eliminate or put an end to (something).

1382 Wyclif Gen. iii. 15 Enemyte I shal put bitwix thee and the woman. c 1420 ? Lydg. Assembly of Gods 761 They hym comfortyd & bad hym put no dowte, Hys vttyr enemy Vyce to ouerthrow. 1485 Caxton Chas. Gt. iii. i. xiv. 227 After that he had put and sette good estate..in spayne. 1526 Tindale Acts xv. 9 And he putt no difference betwene them and vs. 1556 Aurelio & Isab. (1608) Lj, He ordennede, soddainely that..one put ordre to the deathe of his doughter. 1592 Sc. Acts Jas. VI (1597) c. 114 To put ordour to all maters and causes Ecclesiasticall. 1601 [see period n. 5]. 1647 [see end n. 22 c]. 1712 Addison Spect. No. 403 ¶10 This Intelligence put a Stop to my Travels. 1760 Impostors Detected i. iii. I. 14 [This] put a sudden damp to their zeal. 1807–8 Syd. Smith Plymley's Lett. Wks. 1859 II. 137/2 Infamous and damnable laws..which have been put an end to by him. 1855 Macaulay Hist. Eng. xii. III. 213 To solicit the Lords to put some check on the violence of the Commons. 1889 H. D. Traill Strafford viii. 101 These indecencies were speedily put a stop to. 1891 T. Hardy Tess xxxvi, ‘What were you thinking of doing?’ he enquired. ‘Of putting an end to myself’. 1919 Boy's Own Ann. XLI. 457/2 She [sc. a destroyer]..was about to proceed to sea on her mission of ‘putting paid’ to U-boats. 1931 T. R. G. Lyell Slang 606 You can put paid to any friendship that ever existed between him and me. 1951 J. B. Priestley Festival at Farbridge ii. iii. 344, I thought one time Tanhead might ha' swung 'em, but Commodore put paid to him all right. 1955 ‘E. C. R. Lorac’ Ask Policeman v. 54 He and his premises..were put paid to by a land mine. 1957 J. Braine Room at Top xvi. 144, I wanted to put paid to Communism once and for all. 1959 Listener 30 July 183/3 The translator's deficiencies put paid to the book altogether. 1971 G. Household Doom's Caravan ii. 40 The return journey..put paid to my only pair of formal trousers. 1976 Economist 13 Mar. 13/2 [That choice] would also probably put paid to any hopes of fully reintegrating France into the Nato alliance.

    b. To place, repose (trust, confidence, etc.) in († to).

1475 Bk. Noblesse (Roxb.) 25 Over grete favoure and trust put to youre adversaries. 1526 Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 5 b, Puttynge theyr trust onely in spirituall or heuenly thynges. 1529 More Dyaloge i. Wks. 121/1 Those nygromancers..that put theyr confydence in the roundell and cercle on the grounde. 1535 Coverdale Ps. cxlv[i.] 3 Put not youre trust in prynces. 1847 Marryat Childr. N. Forest xvii, Of course I put implicit confidence in you. 1888 G. Gissing Nether World (1889) III. v. 94 He put no faith in Sidney's assertion.

    21. a. To commit (the fate of something) to a risk or hazard; to stake on, upon.

1611 Shakes. Cymb. i. iv. 133 Would I had put my Estate, and my Neighbors on th' approbation of what I haue spoke. 16.. Bacon (J.), They durst not put it to a battle at sea, and set up their rest wholly upon the land enterprize. 1641 J. Jackson True Evang. T. iii. 190 So farre as my interest in Religion goeth..I shall willingly put it wholly upon this issue. 1700 Dryden Ovid's Met. i. 239 When our universal state Was put to hazard. 1711 in 10th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm. App. v. 129 The resolution had been taken of putting all upon a battle. 1781 Hist. Eur. in Ann. Reg. 53/2 [It] obliged him, at no small hazard, to put all at the issue. 1885 Manch. Even. News 17 June 2/4 A Frenchman who had patriotically put his money on Reluisant.

    b. To invest or venture (one's money) in.

1604 Moufet Will in Health's Impr. (1746) Life 27, I give thirtie Shillings, to be put into a Ringe. 1737 [S. Berington] G. de Lucca's Mem. (1738) 29 He put what was left, together with my little Stock, into that unfortunate Bottom. 1890 Harper's Mag. July 184/2 The poor people had put their substance into purchases of land.

    c. refl. to put oneself on or upon: to entrust or commit oneself to the ruling or verdict of.

1660– [see country 7]. 1712 Arbuthnot John Bull App. iii, So Jack resolved; but he had done more wisely to have put himself upon the trial of his country. a 1715 Burnet Own Time an. 1682 (1823) II. 330 The king being now resolved to live on his revenue, without putting himself on a parliament, he was forced on a great reduction of expenses. 1869 W. Longman Hist. Edw. III, I. ii. 39 Thomas de Berkeley, accused..‘put himself on his country’, and was consequently tried by a jury of twelve men.

    *** Where a thing (usually non-material) is put in some relation to a person (or agent).
    22. To propose to or place before a person for consideration or answer; to propound (a question, supposition, etc.); † in first quot., to address to a person (Obs.). put (the) case: see case n.¹ 12. See also put forth (43 c), put forward (44 c).
    Used with indirect (dative) and direct obj. in to put one a question.

c 1300 in Wright Lyric P. xvi. 53 To love y putte pleyntes mo. c 1440 Jacob's Well xxvi. 174 But I putte þis cas; þou art contryte & sory in herte for þi synne [etc.]. a 1548 Hall Chron., Edw. V 9 Put the case that we neither loued her nor her kynne, yet there were no cause why [etc.]. 1681 H. More Exp. Dan. 85 The Queen..put hard and weighty questions to him. 1827 Roberts Voy. Centr. Amer. 267 Whatever others assert who may have put the question. 1888 G. Gissing Life's Morn. II. ix. 73 He did not put to himself the plain alternative. 1888 Farjeon Miser Farebrother xvii, You are putting a riddle to me. 1892 Harper's Mag. Dec. 24/1 He put me too hard a question.

    b. spec. To submit (a point for decision) formally to the vote of an assembly.

1683 Col. Rec. Pennsylv. I. 57 The question was putt whether the Ballott should be used in all cases? 1689 T. R. View Govt. Europe 14 The Counsel..put it to the Vote who shall be their General. 1700–15 [see previous 2 c]. 1792–3 Gibbon Autobiog. (1896) 15 On the question being put, it was carried without a division. 1830 Examiner 778/1 The resolution was put and carried. 1888 ‘R. Boldrewood’ Robbery under Arms xlv, Let us put it to the vote.

    c. to put it: to present or submit a question, statement, etc. to a person for consideration or by way of appeal.

1747 Richardson Clarissa I. vi. 33 My aunt Hervey has put it to my mother, whether it were not best [etc.]. 1825 New Monthly Mag. XVI. 35 B― put it to me if I should like to see Spenser as well as Chaucer. 1889 Repent. P. Wentworth I. ix. 183, I appeal to you; I put it to you to be frank with yourself. Mod. (Counsel cross-examining) ‘I put it to you that you were not there at the time.’

    † d. Cards. (intr.) In the game of put (n.³): app. To put it to the other player whether he will play out the hand; to challenge one's antagonist. (Also spelt putt.) Obs.

1680 Cotton Compl. Gamester (ed. 2) xv. 93 The eldest [hand] if he hath a good Game, and thinks it better than his Adversaries, puts to him, if the other will not or dare not see him, he then wins one, but if he will see him they play it out. Ibid. 96 Who would not put at such Cards?

    23. To impose (something) on, upon († to, † unto) a person, etc. a. as a burden, charge, or obligation.

c 1380 Antecrist in Todd Three Treat. Wyclif (1851) 134 Þei putten grete penaunce unto men þere Cristis charge is liȝt. 1382 Wyclif 1 Kings xii. 4 Thi fader putte [1388 puttide] to vs moost hard ȝok. Ibid. 2 Kings xviii. 14 Al that thou puttist on to me, I schale beren. 1426 in Surtees Misc. (1890) 10 Þe charge..þat is put vnto me. 1508 Kennedie Flyting w. Dunbar 254 Put I nocht sylence to the, schiphird knaif? 1550 Reg. Privy Council Scot. I. 87 To putt inhibitioun to the capitanis. 1568 [see impost n.1 1]. 1583 Golding Calvin on Deut. vii. 39 When God hath..giuen vs the vpper hand of all assaultes that could be put vnto vs. 1724 De Foe Mem. Cavalier (1840) 7 We were very sensible of the obligation he had put upon us. 1735 Ld. Lyttelton Lett. Persian xxxi, The constraint that was put upon him. 1740 J. Clarke Educ. Youth (ed. 3) 84, I have..declared myself against putting any more Grammar upon Boys. 1891 Sat. Rev. 10 Oct. 427/1 Heavy dues were put on cattle.

    b. as an indignity, insult, censure, etc.

c 1380 Wyclif Sel. Wks. III. 347 We mai not pynche at þis lawe þat God himsilf ordeynede first, but ȝif we putten blasphemye on God þat he ordeynede folily. 1536 Primer Eng. & Lat. 85 b, Smytynge the..and many other greuous paynes puttynge to the. 1633 Bp. Hall Hard Texts Mal. i. 8 Will they..not..think that you put a scorne upon them? 1687 Burnet Repl. Varillas 21 A severe censure I had put on his works. 1707 Norris Treat. Humility v. 204 Putting indignities upon one another. 1796 Burney Mem. Metastasio III. 332 The contempt which lyric poets put upon instrumental music. 1870 J. E. T. Rogers Hist. Gleanings Ser. ii. 121 One humiliation after another would be put on the unhappy king.

    c. as something unwelcome or unpleasant; sometimes, to saddle a person with. Now rare or Obs.
    Used occas. with favourable application (quot. 1718).

1633 Bp. Hall Hard Texts Rom. vii. 8 Sinne had not had such force to put itself upon us. 1668 Pepys Diary 23 Dec., Sir D. Gauden is mightily troubled at Pen's being put upon him, by the Duke of York. 1718 Pope Iliad xvi. 466 note, We have Virtue put upon us by Surprize, and are pleas'd to find a thing where we should never have look'd to meet with it. 1727 Swift Art Polit. Lying Wks. 1751 VI. 179 There wants nothing to be put upon the publick, but a false Author, or a false Cause. 1752 Chesterfield Lett. (1792) IV. 1 She put herself upon him for a saint. 1825 New Monthly Mag. XVI. 418 Putting upon you gifts of no real value.

    d. something false or delusive, as a deception or trick.

1601 Shakes. All's Well iv. v. 63 If I put any trickes vpon em. 1616 B. Jonson Devil an Ass iii. iii, You ha' there now Some Bristo-stone, or Cornish counterfeit You'ld put vpon vs. 1650, 1823 [see cheat n.1 4 b]. 1688 Burnet Lett. St. Italy 115 They see such gross Deceptions put upon the World. 1853 Hawthorne Tanglewood T. (Chandos ed.) 252 C. suspected..that he was putting a joke upon him.

    e. to put the ass or fool upon: to impose the name or character of ass or fool upon; to call or account an ass or fool. ? Obs. (See also fool n.¹ 3.)

1617 Moryson Itin. iii. 50 If any German will put the Asse vpon another cunningly, he will say, that the other was neuer in Silesia. 1654 Gataker Disc. Apol. 40 Who merrily in familiar discourse was pleased to put the fool upon me for it. 1760–72 H. Brooke Fool of Qual. (1809) III. 144 The public..have put the fool on me from my birth.

    f. absol. to put upon: † (a) to play a trick upon, befool, impose upon (obs.); (b) to impose unfair or excessive tasks upon; to exact over-much from; to oppress, victimize. Chiefly in indirect passive.

1693 Congreve Old Bach. iii. viii, Sir Joseph has found out your trick, and does not care to be put upon. 1742 Fielding Jos. Andrews iii. vii, [He] advised him not to carry the jest too far, for he would not endure being put upon. 1857 Kingsley Two Y. Ago I. ii. 54 ‘I should not have fancied Miss Harvey the sort of person to set up herself in defiance of me’. ‘The more reason, Sir, if you'll forgive me, for your not putting upon her’. 1862 Temple Bar Mag. VI. 158 Sharp little women, who evidently could not be ‘put upon’. 1890 Mrs. H. Wood House of Halliwell II. iii. 58 You remember..how she used to put upon me.

    24. To lay the blame of (something) on or upon; to lay (crime or fault) to a person's charge, tax with; to charge against, impute to.

c 1380 Wyclif Sel. Wks. III. 174 Þou puttes here on Crist consense of mayntenynge of þefte. 1382 ― Acts xxv. 7 Jewis stooden aboute him..puttinge aȝens [him] manye and greuouse causis. 1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) V. 15 Þat Cristene men schulde nouȝt be dampned wiþ oute trespass i-put aȝenst hem, and i-previd. a 1400 Relig. Pieces fr. Thornton MS. 40 Þe Jewes..put appone hym þat he had saide blasefeme. c 1450 tr. De Imitatione iii. xxi. 89 He dide me gret harme, & puttid þinges up on me þat I neuere þouȝte. 1456 Sir G. Haye Law Arms (S.T.S.) 74 Tharfore suld men be wele avisit, or thai put crime till a man. 1502 Ord. Crysten Men (W. de W. 1506) i. iii. 30 The whiche delyuerest Susanne from the infamye y{supt} of wronge unto her was put. 1530 Palsgr. 671/2 You put upon me that I have hurte hym. 1605 Shakes. Macb. i. vii. 70 What cannot you and I performe vpon Th' vnguarded Duncan? What not put vpon His spungie Officers? 1702 Steele Grief A-la-Mode v. i, I'll try you for his Murder, which I find you'd put on me, thou hellish Engine! 1904 S. Weyman Abb. Vlaye iv, Because it [the mishap] was within a league of his castle, you put it on him?

    **** Where a person (or thing) is put to some condition, suffering, or action.
    25. a. To place in, bring into, or reduce (a person or thing) to some state or condition; as,
    to put at ease, put at rest; to put in doubt, fear, † hope, mind, remembrance, trust; to put in (or into, occas. † to) action, adventure, communication, competition, execution, force, motion, order, † peace, play, possession, one's power, practice, print, readiness, † respite, shape, † suspense, tune, use, † work, etc.; to put on one's guard, put on one's honour, put on one's oath, put on record, † put to life, put to rights, put to silence, put to sleep, put in the wrong, etc.: see also the ns.
    Also in U.S. dial. phr. to put (someone) in the dozen(s), to force (someone) to ‘play the dozens’ (cf. play v. 16 e); spec. to insult (a person) by referring to his mother in a derogatory way.

13.. Cursor M. 2425 (Gött.) Qui put þu vs in were, þat said þi wijf þi sister were? c 1374 Chaucer Anel. & Arc. 275 To..putte yowe in sclaundre nowe and blame. c 1386 ― Frankl. T. 767 A lewed man in this That he wol putte his wyf in Iupartie. 14.. Gosp. Nicodemus (A.) 54 He..puttyd to lyfe þat ded lay. 1433 Rolls of Parlt. IV. 424/1 Desiryng to be putte in certainete of certain Articles. 1526 Tindale 2 Tim. ii. 14 Of these thynges put them in remembraunce. 1539 Bible (Great) Ps. ix. 20 Put them in feare. 1559 W. Cuningham Cosmogr. Glasse 30 This rule will I put in practise. 1585 T. Washington tr. Nicholay's Voy. ii. v. 34 b, We had putte our gallies in order, with theyr flagges, banners [etc.]. 1676 Hobbes Iliad i. 389 Put Jove in mind of this. 1688 Holme Armoury iii. 51/2 The Lords..are not like a Jury, put upon their Oaths, but do it upon their Honor. a 1715 Burnet Own Time an. 1685 (1823) II. 463 She was put upon the secret, and spoke of it to no person alive but to her confessor. 1719 De Foe Crusoe (1840) I. i. 6 This put my mother into a great passion. 1847 Marryat Childr. N. Forest xvi, You have put me under an obligation which I never can repay. 1866 W. Collins Armadale iii. xiv, It was decided that the servants should be put on board wages. 1892 Sir N. Lindley in Law Rep. 2 Q.B.D. 540 The person deputed..to receive the proposal and to put it into shape. 1939 J. Dollard in American Imago Nov. 8 Herbert had been put in the Dozens by another boy in the following manner: the boy said, ‘Your mama needs a bath.’ 1941 W. A. Percy Lanterns on Levee xxiii. 301 ‘Some fool nigger puts you in the dozen.’.. ‘What's putting you in the dozen?’ ‘That's sho nuff bad talk.’ ‘Like what?’ ‘Well,’ said Ford, modest and hesitant, ‘that's talking about your mommer.’ 1973 A. Dundes Mother Wit 299 To be ‘put in the dozens’ is to be put in a bad or losing position. 1974 H. L. Foster Ribbin' v. 226 If a teacher is attempting to really stop the dozens playing, just..holding your elbow, could be considered as putting another boy in the dozens.

    b. With complement: To cause to be or become something; to make, render so-and-so: † (a) with n.; (b) with adj. (usually to put right or wrong).
    In Wyclif a freq. literalism of translation fr. Lat. ponere.

1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. xi. 61 Pouerte pursued me and put me lowe. c 1380 Wyclif Sel. Wks. III. 363 Þat men..putte þe pope here heierste iuge. 1382 ― Lam. iii. 11 He putte me desolat [Vulg. posuit me desolatam]. 1651 Life Musculus in Fuller Abel Rediv. (1867) I. 303 Musculus was put void of his church. 1790 A. Wilson Pack, To think how aft I'm putten wud. 1835 J. H. Newman Lett. (1891) II. 138 He and Keble both being away puts everything wrong. 1885 Law Times 30 May 74/2 All that the tenants complained of could undoubtedly have been put right..in a very few hours. 1892 H. R. Mill Realm Nat. ii. 20 The least mistake..would put the calculation all wrong. Mod. Haven't you put the clock fast?

    26. a. To subject (a person, etc.) to the suffering or endurance of something; as,
    to put to † pain, † pine, punishment, torture; to put to death, destruction, execution, † mischief; to put to † finance, † fine, ransom; to put to charge, expense, loss, straits, trouble; to put to † judgement, (the) proof, test, touch, trial; to put to the halter, the horn, the rack, the sword; to put to confusion, rebuke, shame; to put to the worse or worst, etc.; to put upon one's trial, etc.: see also the ns.

a 1300 Cursor M. 10072 (Cott.) Þa[t] he ne him put til hel pin. 1399 Langl. Rich. Redeles ii. 87 Whane þe pore pleyned that put were to wrongis. c 1400 Destr. Troy 8852 All the pepull to pyne put, and dethe at oure lust? c 1470 Henry Wallace x. 722 Ye se the Scottis puttis feill to confusioun. 1523 Ld. Berners Froiss. I. xv. 15 The kyng..was deposed..and certayne of his counsellours..put to distruction. 1535 Coverdale Matt. xxiv. 9 Then shal they put you to trouble. 1542–3 Act 34 & 35 Hen. VIII, c. 26 §32 No..persone..for Murther or Felony, shallbe put to his fyne. 1611 Bible Heb. vi. 6 They crucifie..the Sonne of God afresh, and put him to an open shame. 1678 Butler Hud. iii. i. 1148 Soon as they had him at their mercy, They put him to the cudgel fiercely. 1749 Fielding Tom Jones viii. viii, She had put herself to the expense of a long hood. 1832 Southey Hist. Penins. War III. xliii. 606 Foy..put the defenders to the bayonet without distinction. 1891 Sat. Rev. 24 Jan. 99/1 Most of the insect and worm feeders are put to sore straits.

    b. spec. To subject (a piece of ground) to the plough, or to the raising of a particular crop. Const. to, into, under the crop, etc. Also const. down to. Cf. 18.

1845 Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc. VI. ii. 423 The field..was put into potatoes. Ibid. 524, I put the ground..under early potatoes. 1847 Ibid. VIII. i. 112 It is stocked with cattle or put under the plough. 1861 Ibid. XXII. ii. 294 The oat-stubbles being put to winter vetches. Ibid., The land can be put to wheat. 1960 R. Williams Border Country i. ii. 58 He was able to rent two strips of garden..and these he put down one to gooseberries and currants, the other to potatoes.

    27. a. To set (a person or animal) to do something, or upon some course of action. † Formerly sometimes with the notion of inciting, urging, or persuading. (a) with infin. or to.

1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. xiv. 289 Selden is any pore yput to punysshen any peple. 1393 Ibid. C. viii. 191 In alle kynne craftes..he putte me to lerne. 1530 Act 22 Hen. VIII, c. 4 To the great hurte of the Kynges true Subjectes puttynge their Childe to be prentyse. a 1533 Ld. Berners Huon xl. 132 She to be put to your doughter to teche hyr to speake..the language of frenche. 1625 Burges Pers. Tithes 21 How can they aduise, and put their Minister to sue Husbandmen for Tithes? 1737 Bracken Farriery Impr. (1757) II. 50 If we did..put Horses to perform Things which Nature never designed them for. 1844 Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc. V. i. 54 Horses..are put to work at three years old. 1889 Philips & Wills Sybil Ross's Marr. xx, I suppose they'll put me to herd the swine.

    (b) with on, upon.

1605 Shakes. Lear ii. i. 101 'Tis they haue put him on the old mans death. 1645 T. Coleman Serm. bef. Ho. Comm. 30 July 14 His folly might put him on the same way of resistance. 1662 H. More Philos. Writ. Pref. Gen. §6 He can neither hit upon a right sense of things himself..or rightly pursue it, when he is put upon it by another. 1674 Ray Coll. Words Ded. P. Courthope, You were the first that Contributed to it, and indeed the Person that put me upon it. 1748 Anson's Voy. iii. ix. 396 The strong addiction..to lucre often..puts them on defrauding the authority that protects them. 1885 Law Times Rep. LIII. 467/2 He had notice of facts which ought to have put him on inquiry. 1890 Chamb. Jrnl. 13 Sept. 580/2 The disappointment..might..put them upon some wild scheme.

    (c) to put (a person) through it: to impose a severe test on (a person); to subject (a person) to an ordeal or trying experience.

1872 G. P. Burnham Mem. U.S. Secret Service p. vii, Put 'em through, subjecting persons to a thorough searching ordeal. 1922 A. A. Milne Red House Mystery vi. 50 Everybody else is bundled off except me, and I get put through it by that inspector as if I knew all about it. 1923 Wodehouse Inimitable Jeeves iv. 48 Aunt Agatha..was putting the last of the bandits through it in the voice she usually reserves for snubbing waiters in restaurants. 1935 Discovery Oct. 311/2 The work of the pupils whom he ‘put through it’. 1940 H. G. Wells Babes in Darkling Wood i. ii. 59, I am afraid we have put you through it, rather. 1959 P. McCutchan Storm South xii. 179 Evidently she'd been put through it in the interval, for she was crying bitterly. a 1976 A. Christie Autobiogr. (1977) viii. ii. 380 Mad as a hatter... My goodness, he must have put you through it now and again!

    b. refl. To set oneself to; to set about an action or course of action, etc.; to betake or apply oneself to. arch. or dial.

1362 Langl. P. Pl. A. Prol. 20 Summe putten hem to þe plouȝ and pleiden hem ful seldene. c 1400 Destr. Troy Prol. 33 Sum poyetis full prist þat put hom þerto. a 1400–50 Alexander 1483 Ilka bodi þat in þe burȝe lengis, Putt þam to prayris & penaunce enduris. 1470–85 Malory Arthur v. viii. 174 Alle the Romayns with all their hoost put them to flyght. c 1511 1st Eng. Bk. Amer. (Arb.) Introd. 33/2 Whan the Vnicorne hath put hym to rest at a tree. 1853 Hawthorne Tanglewood T. (Chandos ed.) 256 Looking as queerly as cows generally do, while putting themselves to their speed. 1865 Bushnell Vicar. Sacr. ii. i. (1866) 96 Christ put Himself to His works of healing for this purpose.

    c. To set to learn, study, or practise. Const. to, † on, † upon (something).

1389 R. Wimbeldon Serm. Luke xvi. 2 (1584) A viij, Why, I pray you, doe men put their sonnes to the Ciuill Law. c 1430 Freemasonry 30 Thys onest craft he putte hem to. 1610 Willet Hexapla Dan. 23 They which are put to learning must not be non proficientes. 1633 Bp. Hall Hard Texts Hos. x. 11, I will put Ephraim to the saddle, Judah to the plow. a 1687 Petty Pol. Arith. (1690) 113 Since the generality of Gentlemen, and some Noblemen, do put their younger sons to Merchandize. 1740 J. Clarke Educ. Youth (ed. 3) 58 This Custom of putting Boys upon the Greek Tongue, before they understand any Thing of the Latin. Ibid. 63 They are..put upon Versifying.

    d. To direct or urge (a horse) towards something, esp. an obstacle to be cleared; also, to cause (a horse) to perform a particular pace, a leap, etc.: const. to, at, etc. to put through: to cause (a horse) to perform (a particular movement); transf. to cause (a person) to go through an exercise, course of study, etc. Also (chiefly N. Amer.) to put (a person) through (a school, college, etc.): to pay the cost of educating (a person); also const. ellipt.

1589 R. Harvey Pl. Perc. (1590) 4 A Rancke rider hath put his horse to a hedge, and lay in the ditch. 1766 [see pace n.1 6]. 1823 Byron Juan xii. xxxix, Which puts my Pegasus to these grave paces. 1833 Regul. Instr. Cavalry i. 38 The Major..will put the regiment through the ‘Manual’ and ‘Platoon Exercise’. Ibid. 84 He [a horse] may be put to the leap. 1847 Marryat Childr. N. Forest viii, Edward put the pony to a trot. 1861 Dickens Gt. Expect. ix, Mr. Pumblechook then put me through my pence-table. 1861 Temple Bar Mag. II. 406 He was not put through a course of searching educational inquiries. 1886 Ruskin Præterita I. viii. 258 My father had himself put me through the two first books of Livy. 1891 ‘Annie Thomas’ That Affair II. ii. 23 She..puts the cob up the hill. 1908 L. M. Montgomery Anne of Green Gables xxx. 338 I'd love to be a teacher. But..Mr. Andrews says it cost him one hundred and fifty dollars to put Prissy through. 1943 Deb. House of Commons (Canada) 4 Feb. 161/2 Voluntary committees should be set up throughout Canada to pick out..boys and girls with a view to seeing that they are put through university. 1949 Manch. Guardian Weekly 27 Jan. 13/2 He..put himself through Emory College.

    e. To set (cattle) to feed upon; to restrict (a person) to a diet or regimen of. Const. to, on, upon.

1620 Markham Farew. Husb. xxii. (1668) 125 In the month of December, put your sheep and swine to the pease Reeks, and fat them for the..market. 1840 Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc. I. iii. 315, I..changed the food, and put the sheep on bran and oats. 1845 Ibid. VI. ii. 364 All my ewes were put to turnips. 1849 Macaulay Hist. Eng. v. I. 585 To put the garrison on rations of horse flesh. 1888 Times 21 June 10/3 He was put upon bread and water. 1904 Brit. Med. Jrnl. 17 Sept. 649, I put her on red medulla tabloids.

    28. a. To force or drive (a person, etc.) to the performance of some action, e.g. of making a choice, playing a certain card; as,
    to put to flight, put to the run, put to one's jumps, plunges, shifts, trumps, etc.: see also the ns.

1425 Rolls of Parlt. IV. 271/2 Such possession..ought not to be..affermed, ne putte my seid Lord..to his action. 1483 Caxton G. de la Tour D vij b, God dyde putt her to reason askynge to her why she had trespaced his commaundement. 1559 J. Aylmer Harborowe L ij b, Englande was put to a sore plunge through hir wylfulnes. 1563 Homilies ii. Prayer 111, Salomon beyng put to his choyse. 1651 H. L'Estrange Smectymnuus-mastix 27 When Smectymnuus are put to instance they can onely tell us, that [etc.]. 1667 Milton P.L. iv. 386 Thank him who puts me loath to this revenge. 1722 Wollaston Relig. Nat. ix. 207 If at the end of their course they were put to their option, whether [etc.].

    † b. Const. inf. To oblige, compel, force, require, call upon to do something. Obs. or arch.

1603 Shakes. Meas. for M. i. i. 5 Since I am put to know, that [etc.]. 1611 ― Cymb. ii. iii. 110 You put me to forget a Ladies manners By being so verball. 1635 Sir H. Blount Voy. Levant (1637) 102, I have divers times beene put to defend myselfe with my knife. 1651 Life Father Sarpi (1676) 22 The Father was never put to provide for himself while he was under the care of this good old man. 1654 Bramhall Just Vind. v. (1661) 97 Men are not put to prove negatives. 1741 Richardson Pamela II. 305 He..is reckon'd a great Master of his Sword. God grant he may never be put to use it! 1831 Scott Ct. Rob. vii, Put me not..to dishonour myself by striking thee with this weapon.

    c. to put (a person) to it. (a) To force, urge, challenge, or call upon (him) to do what is indicated by the context. Chiefly in pass.

1581 G. Pettie Guazzo's Civ. Conv. i. (1586) A vj, A pleasant Gentleman (who could haue spoken sufficientlie, if he had bene put to it). 1607 J. Norden Surv. Dial. ii. 38 When they are put to it, they come far short of some principall pointes required. c 1620 Z. Boyd Zion's Flowers (1855) 146 I'le put him to 't, before the play be plaide. 1707 Norris Treat. Humility vi. 245 Pride is no more put to't to obey, than humility is to govern. 1868 M. E. Braddon Dead Sea Fr. xviii, There is nothing a man of the world can't do when he's put to it.

    (b) spec. To force (one) to do one's utmost; to reduce to straits; to drive to extremities; to hamper or embarrass. Now always in the passive and usually with an adv. of degree, as hard, sore(ly, sadly, greatly put to it.

1603 Shakes. Meas. for M. iii. ii. 101 Lord Angelo Dukes it well in his absence: he puts transgression too 't. 1641 J. Shute Sarah & Hagar (1649) 179, I know this is difficult, and puts a man to it. 1650 W. Brough Sacr. Princ. (1659) 286 Thou didst pose heaven it self and put God to it. 1684 Bunyan Pilgr. ii. 66 margin The Hill puts the Pilgrims to it. 1699 Swift Ballads Wks. 1755 III. ii. 63 [He] was sorely put to't in the midst of a verse, Because he could find no word to come pat in. 1719 De Foe Crusoe i. 138, I was sadly put to it for a Scythe or a Sickle to cut it down. 1825 New Monthly Mag. XVI. 575 You see how we are put to it. 1865 Dickens Mut. Fr. iv. xiii, We were hard put to it..to get it done in so short a time.

    ***** to put a thing: in pregnant senses of L. pōnĕre.
    † 29. To posit, suppose, assume. With obj. cl. (= put case in 22) or simple obj. Obs.

c 1386 Chaucer Melib. ¶511 But lat vs now putte that ye haue leue to venge yow. 1620 T. Granger Div. Logike 95 And one being put, the other is put. 1626 W. Fenner Hidden Manna (1652) 74 Put that Christ did not dye for them. 1654 Z. Coke Logick 7 An End in Arts not conjectural..must be put when the means are put.

    † 30. a. To lay down (one's life) for, or on behalf of. Obs.
    (A Latinism: animam suam ponere pro{ddd})

c 1380 Wyclif Sel. Wks. III. 363 Crist..puttide his lyf for his sheep. [Cf. Vulg. John x. 15 Animam meam pono pro ovibus meis.] 1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) III. 183 Whanne Kynges comeþ to strengþe þey putteþ [v.r. potteþ] þeire lif for wommen [Higden, animas pro mulieribus exponunt]. c 1440 Gesta Rom. xciii. 423 (Add. MS.) If the housbond be myghty and good, he oweth to deffende here, and putt his life for here life. c 1449 Pecock Repr. iii. viii. 323 Redi forto putte her lijfis for witnessing of trouthe.

    † b. To ‘lay down’; to state, assert, affirm, declare as a fact. Obs.

c 1400 Destr. Troy 1016 As poyetis han put, plainly þo two Were getyn by a gode on a grete lady. 1483 Caxton Gold. Leg. 29 b/1 Saynt Bernard putteth iiii maners of love. 1529 More Dyaloge ii. Wks. 183/2 Y⊇ holders of y{supt} oppinion do put, y{supt} no man maye for all y{supt} take vpon him to preache or medle as priest, til he be chosen by the congregacion. 1530 Tindale Answ. More iv. ii. Wks. (1573) 324/2 The true faith putteth the resurrection, which we be warned to looke for euery houre. 1607 Shakes. Timon v. i. 196 As common bruite doth put it.

    † c. To lay down as a rule or law; to ordain. (With obj. clause.) Obs.

c 1465 Eng. Chron. (Camden) 105 And forthermore ordeyneth, puttethe and stabylysshethe..that all statutys ordenaunces [etc.]. 1678 Min. Bar. Crt. Stitchill (1905) 83 Therefor the Judge..putts inacts and decernes for futur trouble in tyme cummeng that every persons grasse [etc.].

    IV. In combination or construction of the intransitive use with prepositions.
    31. put at ―. intr. To strike at, proceed against, take measures against; to attack; to prosecute. [fig. from 1 d.] Sc. With indirect pass.

1547 Reg. Privy Council Scot. I. 69 The autorite to putt at thame baith in thair personis, landis, and gudis, quhill tha cum to obedience. a 1572 Knox Hist. Ref. Wks. (Wodrow Soc.) I. 284 Gif the authoritie wald putt at me and my house, according to civile and cannon laws. a 1578 Lindesay (Pitscottie) Chron. Scot. (S.T.S.) I. 322 The Douglassis pat sair at the Lord Lyndsay. 1583 Reg. Privy Council Scot. III. 599 Thay ar persewit and put at for the said publict act. 1616 Sir C. Mountagu in Buccleuch MSS. (Hist. MSS. Comm.) I. 248 Sir Robert Rich puts hard at them for the extent of his land. 1866 Gregor Banffsh. Gloss., Pit-at, to dun; as ‘the banker's beginnin' t'pit-at him for the bill’. [1907 A. Lang Hist. Scot. IV. iii. 73 Argyle advised Carstares that Simon should not be put at for this.]

    † 32. put for ―. intr. a. To make an attempt or effort to obtain; to try for; to strive to do or attain. Obs. Cf. push for, push v. 8.

1596 Nashe Saffron Walden 139 Let them..looke after it, or the man in the Moone put for it. 1596 Drayton Leg. i. 587 Henry againe doth hotly put for all. 1613 Daniel Hist. Eng. i. (1621) 5 Many..were proclaimed Cæsars and put for the whole empire. 1646 Fuller Good Th. etc., Wounded Consc. (1841) 279 Now Satan being no less cunning..will put hard for our souls. 1676 C. Hatton in H. Corr. (1878) 122 Some of my L{supd} Treasurer's creatures..put for S{supr}. John Ernley['s] place, as commissioner of y⊇ Navy. 1739 Encour. Sea-f. People 39 The Superbe putting for it to lay the Admiral aboard, fell on his Weather Quarter.

    † b. put fair for: to ‘bid fair’ for; to be in a fair way of attaining. Obs.

1595 T. Maynarde Drake's Voy. (Hakl. Soc.) 7 Had wee lanced under the forte at our first cominge to anchor, wee had put fayre to bee possessors of the towne. a 1677 Hale Prim. Orig. Man. 135 Those Nations whose Historians put fair for the greatest Antiquity, are the Romans [etc.].

    † c. To make for, argue for. Obs.

1624 Bp. R. Montagu Gagg 52 It would put for Hebrew or Syriacke, their mother tongue.

    put out of: see 49. put upon: see 23 f.
    V. Combined with adverbs, forming the equivalents of compound verbs in other languages.
    † 33. a. put aback. trans. = put back, 40 a, b. Obs.

c 1380 Wyclif Wks. (1880) 332 It semeþ þat antecrist bi þis puttiþ cristis ordynaunce aback. 1450 Rolls of Parlt. V. 181/2 True maters..were hyndred and put abakke. 1484 Caxton Fables of æsop iv. viii, The men of trouthe ben set alowe and put aback. 1530 Palsgr. 671/2 To put a backe from promocyon. a 1557 Diurn. Occur. (1833) 34 The saidis personis..was put abak be the lordis Ruthven, [etc.].

    34. put about. a. See simple senses and about.

1382 Wyclif Mark xv. 36 Fillinge a sponge with vynegre, and puttinge aboute [Vulg. circumponens] to a reede. 1766 T. Amory Buncle (1825) III. 78 The bottle after dinner I put about pretty quick. 1768 Lady M. Coke Jrnl. 28 Aug., That Strange Girl that you remember was used to put her⁓self about upon the Stage, almost all her Cloaths off.

    b. Naut. trans. To lay or place (a sailing vessel) on the opposite tack. Also transf. to cause (a horse, a body of men, etc.) to turn round so as to face in another direction.

1771 Smollett Humph. Cl. 8 Aug. i, Every time the vessel was put about, we shipped a sea. 1832 Prop. Regul. Instr. Cavalry iii. 83 The..wing is..to be put about by Threes. 1842 Marryat Percival K. xix, The Stella was then put about, and the other broadside given. 1865 Kingsley Herew. xxi, Put your horses' heads about and ride for Spalding.

    c. Naut. absol. or intr. To turn on to the other tack; to go about. Also transf.

1748 Anson's Voy. iii. v. 342 The proas..run from one of these Islands to the other and back again..without ever putting about. 1823 Scoresby Jrnl. Whale Fish. 338 The main interests of my voyage obliged me to put about, and return to the northward. 1842 J. Wilson Chr. North (1857) I. 251 Down with the helm, and let us put about.

    d. trans. To circulate, publish (a statement).

1781 F. Burney Diary May (1842) II. 34 Is it what she [Mrs. Thrale] put about in the morning? 1851 J. H. Newman Cath. in Eng. 313 This has been put about as a discovery. 1881 Mrs. E. Lynn Linton My Love II. v. 102 Who has put this lie about?

    e. To trouble; to put to inconvenience, embarrass; to distress. (Orig. and still chiefly Sc. and north. dial.) Cf. put out, 48 f (b), (c), (d).

1825 Jamieson, To Put about, to subject to inconvenience or difficulty;..as, ‘I was sair put about to get that siller’. 1843 F. E. Paget Warden of Berkingholt 149 You see I don't let a thoughtless word put me about, and you must'na neither. 1857 Livingstone Trav. Introd. 6, I would not have been much put about, though my offer had been rejected. 1866 Reade G. Gaunt (ed. 2) II. 297 Oh, don't put yourself about for me. 1890 Doyle Capt. ‘Polestar’, Little Sq. Box 152 What's put you about, Hammond? You look as white as a sheet.

    † 35. put abroad. trans. To spread abroad, unfurl, display. Obs.

1615 Chapman Odyss. i. 68 When in him shall be..the prime Of youth's spring put abroad. 1628 Digby Voy. Medit. (Camden) 3 To giue notice..by putting abroad his flag. 1669 Sturmy Mariner's Mag. i. ii. 19 She puts aboard [1683 abroad] her Waste-clothes; she will fight us.

    36. put across. a. to put it across (a person): (a) to visit with retribution or punishment; to get even with.

1915 E. Wallace Man who bought London iv. 39 He won't half put it across you people. 1918 ‘D. Valentine’ Man with Clubfoot xxi. 309 When you..put it across ‘der Stelze’..you settled a long outstanding account we had against him. 1923 M. Arlen These Charming People 238 There was something—well, indecent, in talking about a man dead nine years or more as though he were alive and still wanting to ‘put it across’ Antony at every turn. 1928 Daily Mail 6 Aug. 14/6 You are a master of mob tactics, but we will put it across you yet. 1929 Wodehouse Mr. Mulliner Speaking iv. 129 It was his intention to..confront his erring man-servant and put it across him in no uncertain manner. 1936 ― Laughing Gas xvi. 179, I was glad that I had put it across him. My pride was involved. There are some remarks which one does not forgive. 1978 Rugby World Apr. 38/2 Meyer was a sports nut who enjoyed nothing more than seeing his pupils put it across the golden youth of Eton and Winchester.

    (b) to impose upon; to deceive, to delude; to convince by deceit.

1919 E. P. Oppenheim Strange Case J. Thew ii. vi. 235 ‘Well,’ she exclaimed, ‘he does put it across you, doesn't he?’ 1923 H. C. Bailey Mr. Fortune's Practice i. 25, I say, you have put it across us in the Dean case. 1927 Observer 27 Mar. 6/4 It would be difficult for a greedy, hysterical, shameless, half-insane revivalist..to ‘put it across’ ever-increasing audiences. 1928 Daily Express 26 May 13/4 How Mother Cuckoo manages to ‘put it across’ certain inoffensive countryside birds. 1934 D. L. Sayers Nine Tailors 63, I hope our friend doesn't put anything across the good Rector. 1936 A. L. Rowse Mr. Keynes & Labour Movement 19 They succeeded in putting it across large sections of the middle classes that Labour's economics meant financial ruin. 1959 D. Eden Sleeping Bride xiv. 117 Don't Let Blandina put it across you. She isn't as ill as she pretends to be.

    b. To make acceptable or effective; to convey the significance of. Cf. across prep. 2 b.

1922 S. Anderson in R. L. White S. Anderson/G. Stein (1972) 15 The author had done a thing we Americans call ‘putting something across’—the meaning being that she had, by a strange freakish performance, managed to attract attention to herself. 1923 H. Crane Let. 13 Apr. (1965) 131 This ‘new consciousness’ is something that takes a long while to ‘put across’. 1927 M. Diver But Yesterday ii. xxiii. 263 The Exchange reported, ‘No answer.’ She was out—naturally; very busy putting it across! 1935 [see copy-writer s.v. copy n. C]. 1938 E. Bowen Death of Heart ii. iv. 247 Supposing she had a wish to be put across, who could do this for her better than Eddie could? 1943 W. S. Churchill Second World War (1951) IV. 839 We must be ready with our plans in the Eastern Mediterranean, and put it hard across Turkey to come in with us. 1943 J. S. Huxley TVA 129 The TVA was managing to put across a good deal of its plan. 1945 Mencken Amer. Lang. Suppl. I. 449 He [sc. C. T. Onions in 1936] noted that to put it across, to get it across, and to put it over were already ‘firmly domiciled’ in England... They really got their vogue in the United States as baseball terms. 1959 Times Lit. Suppl. 9 Jan. 15/3 Many readers, however, dazzled by Mr Graves's gifts as a prose entertainer, by his ability to put across Third Programme material with a Light Programme zing, may not give the poems the attention they deserve. 1970 ‘D. Halliday’ Dolly & Cookie Bird ii. 11 If you don't put yourself across, who'll do it for you? 1977 Wandsworth Borough News 7 Oct. 5/1 ‘Help police fight crime by helping yourself’— that is the message the police are trying to put across to the public.

    c. Baseball. To pitch (a ball) directly over home plate.

1936 Mencken Amer. Lang. (ed. 4) 191 The history of baseball terms also deserves to be investigated, for many of them have entered the common speech of the country, e.g...to put it (or one) across (or over). 1943 Amer. Speech XVIII. 106 If the pitcher throws a straight ball with good control, he is said..to put it over, to put it across, or to put it right in there. If he has speed, he may..put over a fast one.

    put again: see 5. put apart = put aside, 37 a.
    37. put aside. a. See simple senses and aside.

1398 Trevisa Barth. De P.R. vi. ii. (Br. Mus. Add. 27944 f. 67 b/2) He hatte sepultus iburied . for he is iput aside iburyed vndir þerþe. 1535 Coverdale Susanna 51 Put these two asyde one from another.

    b. To lay aside out of use, etc.; = put away, 39 e; also to bury = 39 f (d).

1872 Black Adv. Phaeton ii, She told him he must put aside his uniform while in England. 1891 Law Rep. Weekly Notes 80/1 The salesman, seeing that the meat was bad, did not expose it for sale, but put it aside. 1892 Tennyson Charity xiii, They put him aside for ever, and after a week..a widow came to my door.

    38. put asunder. trans. To separate.

1526 Tindale Matt. xix. 6 Let not man therfore put asunder, that which god hath cuppled togedder. 1530 [see 54 b]. 1611 Cotgr., Separer, to separate, sever, part,..put asunder.

    39. put away. a. See simple senses and away.

a 1300 Cursor M. 5700 (Cott.) He put þe hirdes all a-wai. 1398 Trevisa Barth. De P.R. xvi. lxii. (Br. Mus. Add. 27944 f. 202/2) The magnas draweþ to iren in o cornere and putteþ it away in anoþer corner. 1530 Palsgr. 671/2, I dyd put hym awaye as harde as I coulde. 1592 Shakes. Rom. & Jul. ii. iv. 209 Two may keepe counsell putting one away. 1639 S. Du Verger tr. Camus' Admir. Events 9 Vexing this little creature, by threatning to put her away from the Prince. 1867 Smyth Sailor's Word-bk. s.v. Veer, The head of the vessel is put away from the wind. 1890 Blackw. Mag. July 29/1, I had..put away the picture in despair.

    b. trans. To send away, dismiss, get rid of; to reject; spec. to divorce. Somewhat arch.

c 1380 Wyclif Sel. Wks. III. 361 Þei semen alle Anti⁓cristis proctours to putte awey Cristis ordenaunce. 1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) V. 269 Þe kyng putte away his laweful wif. c 1440 Promp. Parv. 417/2 Puttyn a-wey, or refusyn, repudio, refuto. 1526 Tindale Matt. xix. 9 Whosoever putteth awaye his wyfe (except hit be for fornicacion) and maryeth another, breaketh wedlocke. a 1533 Ld. Berners Huon xliii. 143 Put awaye thy dyspleasure and perdon me. 1599 Aycliffe Reg. in Sir C. Sharp Chron. Mirab. (1841) 36 A publycke admonition..for all maysters and dames to put away such servants..as wyll not usually come to churche. 1816 Byron Prisoner of Chillon vii, He loathed and put away his food. 1890 Univ. Rev. 15 June 204 That is the last vanity that man learns to put away.

    † c. To drive away, dispel; to do away with, abolish, put an end to. Obs.

a 1349 Hampole Comm. Love to God Wks. 1896 I. 70 It..puttes a-wey wykked dredes & vices, & clenses þe thoght. c 1400 Brut 300 Philip of Valeys..cast & purposed..to put awey þe sege. a 1450 Myrc Festial 49 The ensens he brent to put away þe stench of þe stabull þer scho lay. 1495 Act 11 Hen. VII, c. 2 §5 It [shall] be laufull to ij of the Justices..to rejecte and put awey comen ale selling in Tounes. 1559 Morwyng Evonym. 108 It putteth awaye cleane the Canker. 1873 Mrs. Oliphant Innocent xxviii, Ask God to put it away out of your mind.

    † d. To part with, dispose of, sell; = put off, 46 j.

1574 in Exch. Rolls Scotl. XX. 467 To sell..and put away his landis, heretagis [etc.]. 1607 Stat. in Hist. Wakefield Gram. Sch. (1892) 61 To sell give or putt away anye part of the landes. a 1649 Winthrop New Eng. (1825) II. 348 He took two skins and a half..which he carried to Mr. Cutting's ship, and put it away there for twenty-four shillings.

    e. To put (out of one's hands or immediate use) into a receptacle for safe keeping; to stow away; also, to lay by for future use (money, etc.); = put by, 41 g.

1843 Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc. IV. ii. 398 The fruit should be..carefully put away in bins. 1861 Dickens Gt. Expect. xxxix, I've put away money, only for you to spend. 1890 Illustr. Lond. News 13 Sept. 330/1 Searching for the spectacles he had put away overnight. 1891 Murray's Mag. Mar. 373 She had put away her books, writing materials [etc.].

    f. slang or colloq. (a) To consume as food or drink, take into the stomach.

1878 Besant & Rice Celia's Arb. xlviii, I never saw a man put away such an enormous quantity of provisions at one time. 1889 Doyle Micah Clarke xvi, He could put away more spruce beer than you would care to pay for. 1924 [see buffy a.2]. 1958 Punch 8 Oct. 469/1 The object of a wine-tasting is not to put the stuff away but to assess the relative values of a varied assortment of bottles. 1969 G. Greene Trav. with my Aunt i. viii. 76 Between us we can probably put away half a bottle of vodka. 1976 R. Hill Another Death in Venice i. i. 6 You look well enough..but you don't deserve to, not the way you were putting it away.

    (b) To put in jail, to imprison; to commit to an old people's home; to confine to a mental institution.

1872 G. P. Burnham Mem. U.S. Secret Service p. vii, Put away sent to the State Prison, after conviction. 1883 Daily Tel. 4 Aug. 2/1 Having been ‘put away’ since the previous October..and only just now released. 1938 N. Marsh Death in White Tie xvi. 179 She became hopelessly insane... He arranged to have her put away. 1952 Sun (Baltimore) 2 June 14/3 There is less social pressure on people to make a place for grandparents at home, less feeling that it would be disgraceful to have them put away. 1971 S. Phillips Death in Sheep's Clothing v. 48 The mother is nearly frantic now, she is always afraid ‘they’ are going to ‘put him away’. 1973 W. M. Duncan Big Timer xxi. 138 He was an inspector then. He put me away. 1974 P. M. Hubbard Thirsty Evil iv. 40, I said, ‘But can it go on? Won't they have to—?’ ‘Put him away? I suppose so, if he gets worse.’

    (c) To put in pawn, to pawn.

1887 Daily News 22 Oct. 3/3 They have clothes and household effects..which, if need be, they can ‘put away’ during the winter. 1909 Galsworthy Silver Box i. iii. 32 Mrs. Jones. We've not got a home, sir. Of course we've been obliged to put away most of our things. Barthwick. Put your things away! You mean to—to—er—to pawn them? Mrs. Jones. Yes, sir, to put them away. 1926 Maines & Grant Wise-Crack Dict. 12/1 Putting away his ice, pawning his diamond.

    (d) To put in the grave, to bury. Also, to kill.

1588 Greene Pandosto f. A4v, Deuising with himself a long time how he might best put away Egistus without suspition of treacherous murder, hee concluded at last to poyson him. 1847 A. Brontë Agnes Grey p. xiv, A reward, I should have greatly valued,..were he [sc. a dog] not now in danger of being ‘put away’. 1896 Mrs. H. Ward Sir G. Tressady 148 It's three weeks now sen they put him away. 1920 E. Wallace Daffodil Mystery viii. 70 If I could only put her away for it! 1932 E. Waugh Black Mischief viii. 311 The dogs had long been rounded up and painlessly put away. 1971 E. Lemarchand Death on Doomsday ix. 137 I'd like to see old Peplow put away decently. 1974 M. Butterworth Man in Sopwith Camel xiii. 165 What kinda guy puts a buddy away for three lousy dollars?

    g. slang. To inform against, ‘give away’, betray.

1890 Melbourne Argus 2 Aug. 4/3 It's all right, mate; I won't put you away. 1891 N. Gould Double Event 184, I had an idea you put me away over the Derby.

    40. put back. † a. trans. To thrust or force back, repulse; to refuse, reject. Obs.

c 1450 Merlin xxv. 460 Thourgh his prowesse thei were putte bakke and chaced to the town. 1530 Palsgr. 671/1 He had thought to take orders at this tyme, but he was put backe. 1535 Coverdale 2 Esdras iii. 16 As for Iacob thou didest chose him and put backe Esau. 1599 ? Shakes. Pass. Pilgr. 334 Be thou no slack To proffer, though she put thee back.

    b. To reduce to a lower position or condition; to retard, or check the advance of; † to revoke (obs.).

1535 Coverdale Hos. iv. 17 Their dronckennesse hath put them backe, & brought them to whordome. 1616 in 10th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm. App. v. 468 All subsidies and saulf conducts..whatsoever shalbe put back and extinguished. 1626 Bacon Sylva §354 An ouerdrie nourishment in child⁓hood putteth back stature. 1892 Field 7 May 695/1 Their one mistake..should not have..put them back to second place.

    c. To move (the hands of a clock) back to an earlier position; to set back; also fig.

a 1745 Swift Adv. Servants, Cook §28 When you find that you cannot get dinner ready at the time appointed, put the clock back. 1881 Mrs. E. Lynn Linton My Love III. ix. 157 She had put back her age ten years at the least. 1889 ― Thro' Long Night i. xvii, Nor tears nor prayer can..put back the hand of time.

    d. To prevent from coming on at the time appointed or expected; to defer; = put off, 46 c.

1885 J. Payn Luck Darrells III. xlii. 184, I have taken upon myself to put the dinner back for an hour. 1890 T. F. Tout Hist. Eng. fr. 1689, 189 The defeat of the former at Novara put back the unity of Italy.

    e. To restore to its former place or position.

1816 Scott Antiq. xxv, I'll pit back the pick and shule whar I got them. Mod. When you've done with the book, please put it back on the shelf.

    f. intr. Naut. To reverse one's course; to return to the port which one has left. (Cf. sense 8.)

1771 Smollett Humph. Cl. 8 Aug. i, My aunt desired her brother to order the boatman to put back to Kinghorn. 1859 Cornwallis Panorama New World I. Introd. 6 The latter vessel..having a few days previously been compelled to ‘put back’, owing to..having sprung a leak. 1892 Chamb. Jrnl. 27 Feb. 136/2 The Kate..put back to Salcombe.

    g. trans. With personal object: to cost. colloq.

1909 Dialect Notes III. 402 ‘How much did that put you back?’ ‘Six dollars.’ 1958 B. Ruck Third Love Lucky iv. 31 It puts you back five shillings for a quarter of an hour.

    h. To return or ‘plough back’ (money, etc.). Cf. plough v. 9 g.

1930 Economist 19 July 112/2 In view of Mr. Snowden's recent refusal to consider abatement of income tax on company reserves employed for re-equipment the recent tendency to reduce the proportion of earnings ‘put back’ is significant. 1931 Ibid. 11 July 59/1 The percentage ‘put back into the business’ during the past twelve months, 15· 7 per cent., compares unfavourably with the figure of 18·6 per cent. ascertained for the twelve months ended June 30, 1930.

    41. put by. (See also by prep., adv. B. 2.) a. trans. To thrust or set aside (lit and fig.); to reject; to neglect, let alone; † to leave out, except (quot. 1594); † to give up, desist from.

c 1440 Alphabet of Tales 448 He wexid so fond on hur..and evur sho putt hym bye. 1500–20 Dunbar Poems xxx. 30 Cum on thairfoir annone, All sircumstance put by and excusationis. 1538 Bale Thre Lawes 1716 Shal thys baggage put by the word of God? 1594 Nashe Christ's T. (ed. 2) To Rdr., Euen of the meanest and basest..I desire to bee thought fauorably of, onely the bloud of the Harueys put by. 1601 Shakes. Jul. C. i. ii. 221 A Crowne..being offer'd him, he put it by with the backe of his hand. 1604 ― Oth. ii. iii. 172 For Christian shame, put by this barbarous Brawle. 1750 Chesterfield Lett. (1792) III. 24 He will be discouraged, put by, or trampled on. 1865 Ruskin Sesame ii. §90 There is no putting by that crown; queens you must always be.

    b. To turn aside, ward off, divert, avert (a blow, or fig. a calamity, etc.). Also absol. ? Obs.

c 1530 Ld. Berners Arth. Lit. Brit. 271 He stept asyde, and well and warely put the stroke by. 1647 W. Browne Polex. ii. 104 Almanzor..charg'd him with so much vigour..that he scarce gave him leasure to put by, or avenge himselfe. 1682 J. Flavel Fear 10 An imminent..evil, which we see not how to escape or put by. 1753 Richardson Grandison I. xxvii. 195, I was aware of his thrust, and put it by. 1809 Malkin Gil Blas iii. vii. ¶10, I had the good fortune to put by all his thrusts.

    c. To turn aside, evade (a question, argument, etc.); to put off (a person) with an excuse or evasion: = put off, 46 g.

1618 Hales Gold. Rem. ii. (1673) 42 When they were prest with any reason they could not put by. 1688 Burnet Lett. St. Italy 114 The Pope put it by in some general Answers. 1779 Sylph I. 241 How long will they remain satisfied with being repeatedly put by with empty promises? 1842 Tennyson Day-dream, The Revival iv, The chancellor..smiling, put the question by. 1878 R. H. Hutton Scott xv. 159 The medical men..tried to make him give up his novel-writing. But he smiled and put them by.

    † d. To prevent (a person) from attaining or carrying out something; to divert from. Obs.

a 1586 Sidney Arcadia (1622) 38 Which put by their young cosin from that expectation. 1609 Daniel Civ. Wars vi. xi, Put by from this, the Duke of Yorke dessynes Another course to bring his hopes about. 1724 De Foe Mem. Cavalier (1840) 25 Considering..whether they should march to the relief of Casal, but the chimera of the Germans put them by. 1806 R. Cumberland Mem. (1807) II. 177 The well-considered remonstrances of some of his nearest friends..put him by from his resolve.

    † e. To drive out, dislodge (an enemy). Obs.

1604 Edmonds Observ. Cæsar's Comm. II. 84 Cæsar went out of his campe..put by the garrison [deiecto praesidio], and possessed himselfe of the place.

    † f. To remove, dispel; to rid one of. Obs.

1643 Trapp Comm., Gen. iv. 14 This makes..others [call] for other of the Devills anodynes to put by the pangs of their wounded spirits. 1701 Grew Cosm. Sacra ii. vi. 61 A Fright alone hath put by an Ague-fit, And mitigated a Fit of the Gout.

    g. To lay aside (something out of use); to stow away; to lay by, save (esp. money) for future use.

1795 J. Woodforde Diary 31 July (1929) IV. 216 We had it [sc. the pork] taken up and put by for them against another Day. 1802 M. Edgeworth Moral T. (1816) I. xvii. 142 A slate, which..the little girl had put by very carefully. 1840 Dickens Old C. Shop xx, The old gentleman had put by a little money that nobody knew of. 1862 Mrs. H. Wood Mrs. Hallib. ii. v, They had better wait a few years..until they shall have put by something. 1890 Illustr. Lond. News 9 Aug. 170/1 Herbs and roots and apples put by for the winter.

    42. put down. a. See simple senses and down adv. to put one's foot down: see foot n. 28.

1483 Cath. Angl. 295/1 To Putte downe, calare.., commergere, deponere, deprimere. 1599 B. Jonson Cynthia's Rev. v. iv, As buckets are put downe into a well. 1795 J. Woodforde Diary 29 June (1929) IV. 210 We were put down at the White Hart in Stall Street. 1841 Dickens Let. 2 May (1969) III. 276 ‘Mind Coachman’ as the old ladies say ‘you take me as fur as ever you go, and don't you put me down till you come to the very end of the journey.’ 1879 F. W. Robinson Coward Consc. ii. vi, Whereabouts..do you want me to put you down? 1887 Baring-Gould Gaverocks xviii, She put down her needlework. 1897 Howells Landl. Lion's Head 142 The new rooms were left..uncarpeted; there were thin rugs put down. 1933 [see nitwit]. 1981 R. Barnard Mother's Boys iv. 48 This ruddy cough. It's the climate... They shouldn't have put people down in this climate.

    b. trans. To put an end to by force or authority, to suppress, repress, crush; † to bring into disuse, abolish (obs.).

1303 R. Brunne Handl. Synne 818 But, he [the Pope] may, þurgh no resun, Þe sunday puttyn vp no dowun. 1340 Hampole Pr. Consc. 4084 Alle haly kyrk sal be put don. 1526 Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 12 b, This gyfte suppresseth & putteth downe all carnalytees. 1603 Shakes. Meas. for M. iii. ii. 111 It is impossible to extirpe it quite, Frier, till eating and drinking be put downe. 1636 Sherley in Bradford Plymouth Plantation (1856) 345 Here is no trading, carriors from most places put downe. 1777 Sheridan Sch. Scand. ii. ii, Sir Peter is such an enemy to scandal, I believe he would have it put down by parliament. 1855 Macaulay Hist. Eng. xvii. IV. 65 Putting down a riot. 1873 H. Spencer Stud. Sociol. vi. 121 The determination to put down opposition. 1891 Law Times XCI. 32/2 Putting down the fraudulent devices by means of which the pockets of..investors are..picked.

    c. To depose from office, authority, or dignity; to dethrone, degrade. Somewhat arch.

1382 Wyclif Luke i. 52 He puttide doun myȝty men fro seete. c 1400 Brut 247 His fader was in warde in þe castel of Kenylworþ, and eke was put doun of his realte. c 1460 Fortescue Abs. & Lim. Mon. ix. (1885) 129 Hyldericus kyng off Ffraunce..was putt doune by Pepyne son of Carollus Marcellus. 1593 Shakes. 2 Hen. VI, iv. ii. 38 Inspired with the spirit of putting down Kings and Princes. 1879 M. J. Guest Lect. Hist. Eng. xlvii. 477 Judges..were almost tools of the king, who could set them up and put them down at his pleasure.

    d. To lower the presumption, pride, or self-esteem of; to ‘take down’; to snub; to refute, put to silence. Now more usually, to disparage, to criticize forcefully, to humiliate.

a 1400 Relig. Pieces fr. Thornton MS. 28 Þe toþer es tribulacyone, to putt hym downe with many scharpnes. 1588 Shakes. L.L.L. iv. i. 143 Lord, Lord, how the Ladies and I haue put him downe. 1600 Rowlands Lett. Humours Blood iv. 65, I scorne..To let a Bowe-bell Cockney put me downe. 1831 Macaulay Ess., Johnson (1887) 181 With what stately contempt she put down his impertinence. 1888 W. J. Knox-Little Child Stafferton xiv, The peremptoriness with which Lady Dorothy put him down. 1923 G. M. Trevelyan Manin & Venetian Revolution vi. 112 The principal speaker was Avesani, an eloquent and able lawyer who at once put Palffy down when he tried to speak in a tone of authority. 1958 Amer. Speech XXXIII. 225 When someone puts you down he criticizes you unfavorably, he fluffs you. 1961 Rigney & Smith Real Bohemia p. xvi, Put down, to, to humiliate, or tell off, or part company with someone. 1969 Down Beat 20 Mar. 31/3 It became fashionable to put him down as too much of a showman and not enough of a jazzman. 1972 D. Delman Week to Kill 86 So why did you put him down that way, in front of me? 1972 W. Labov Language in Inner City viii. 350 Sounding is only one of the many ways of putting someone down. 1977 Miller & Swift Words & Women p. x, We ourselves had for years been innocently using the words and grammatical forms that put our own sex down.

    † e. To overthrow, subdue, defeat (a person, an enemy). Obs. (merged in ‘suppress’ in b).

c 1400 Destr. Troy 6672 This Celidis, forsothe, fought with a speire, Polidamas to put doun, & his pride felle. 1616 R. C. Times' Whistle v. 1886 We shall put downe all that dare contest With vs. 1616 B. Jonson Devil an Ass i. i. 93 To mount vp on a joynt-stoole, with a Iewes-trumpe, To put downe Cokeley. 1847 Marryat Childr. N. Forest vi, The Levellers had opposed Cromwell, and he had put them down with the other troops.

    † f. To lower in estimation; to excel, surpass, ‘beat’, etc., by comparison. Obs.

1592 Nashe P. Penilesse (ed. 2) 14 Ready to..die for griefe if he be put down in brauery neuer so litle. 1621 Burton Anat. Mel. iii. ii. iii. iii. (1651) 477 Lucullus ward⁓rope is put down by our ordinary Citizens. 1678 Bunyan Pilgr. Apol. 134 Holy Writ, Which for its Stile, and Phrase puts down all Wit. 1713 C'tess of Winchilsea Misc. Poems 209 Her Rooms, anew at ev'ry Christ'ning drest, Put down the Court, and vex the City-Guest. 1754 Richardson Grandison V. x. 56 Your brother is indeed enough to put all other men down.

    g. To make away with, put to death, kill. Now used chiefly with a domestic pet as obj., or transf.

1560 Rolland Crt. Venus i. 535 Lufe..slais the saull, and puttis the bodie down. 1589 Par. Reg. in Brand Hist. Newcastle (1789) I. 674 Alice Stokoe..did put downe her⁓self in her maisters house in her own belt. ? a 1800 Queen's Marie xv. in Scott Minstrel. Scot. Bord., Little wist Marie Hamilton..That she was ga'en to Edinburgh town And a' to be put down. 1827 Blackw. Mag. XXI. 446 Word came that Eppy Telefer had ‘put down’ herself over night, and was found hanging dead in her own little cottage at day⁓break. 1899 H. D. Rawnsley Life & Nat. Engl. Lakes 173 A dog that shows signs of worrying [sheep] is ‘put down’ at once. 1936 W. Holtby South Riding iv. v. 253 Best have him [sc. a dog] put down, mercifully. 1942 G. Kersh Nine Lives Bill Nelson vii. 41 You could of put Bill down with a Humane Killer. 1958 Times 20 Nov. 3/1 An unwanted husband is as easily ‘put down’ as any other domestic pet. 1971 Daily Tel. 19 Aug. 3/6 Kim was ordered to be put down last year after he had bitten two people. 1977 Guernsey Weekly Press 21 July 4/7 One of the Jersey police dogs which entertained the large crowd at the recent open day of the local force at Les Vauxbelets has had to be put down.

    h. To cease to keep up (something expensive); to stop the expense of, give up the use of.

1807 Southey Espriella's Lett. III. 120 In vain does he put down the carriage, dismiss the footman, and block up windows. 1888 Mrs. E. Lynn Linton Thro' Long Night ii. vi, Since they had put down their carriage,..she had been able to go about so little.

    i. To set down in writing, write down; to enter in a written account, list, etc.
    (In first quot., ? to state in writing, or ? to lay down.)

1579 W. Wilkinson Confut. Familye of Loue 26 b, Dauid George first put downe the principles of this sect. 1824 Examiner 397/2 Mr. Bolton put down his name for 200l. 1826 New Monthly Mag. XVI. 480, I have put you down in my will for a ring. 18.. Mrs. Cameron Little Dog Flora 5 They talked to each other in the way I shall put down. 1879 M. Pattison Milton iv. 47 Milton consented to put down his thoughts on paper. 1885 G. Allen Babylon x, She was going to put herself down at a registry office. 1890 Graphic 9 Aug. 143/2 [Amendments] had been put down by members of the Opposition.

    j. fig. To account or reckon; to estimate as, at; to take for; to count or attribute to.

1791 J. Woodforde Diary 14 Oct. (1927) III. 306, I dont know that I ever eat a better Hare tho' we had put it down for an old one by skinning it. 1847 Marryat Childr. N. Forest ix, I should have put you down for eighteen or nineteen at least. 1883 M. E. Mann Par. Hilby xvii. 205 It was put down to his credit that he never complained. 1886 Mrs. C. Praed Miss Jacobsen iv, She mentally put him down at thirty-five. Ibid. v, Don't put it all down to pure Christian good feeling. 1890 Chamb. Jrnl. 7 June 358/1, I should..have put him down as a Yankee but for his accent.

    k. To sink (a shaft, pit, etc.).

1875 R. F. Martin tr. Havrez' Winding Mach. 1 We found that we ought to put down an entirely fresh drawing pit. 1883 Century Mag. July 325/2 The searcher for brine put down a hole four hundred feet, and, instead of salt water, it discharged vast quantities of petroleum or..Seneca Oil.

    l. In technical sporting use: (a) To cause (a fish) to swim low down; (b) To cause (a pointer or setter) to lie down.

1891 Longm. Mag. Feb. 389 The descent of the mist..‘puts down’ the trout and prevents them from feeding. 1892 Field 7 May 695/3 Doon, who was put down by hand, moved a little as the gun was fired.

    m. Cricket. (a) To hit (a wicket), dislodging a bail. (b) With a batsman as subject: to stop or strike (a difficult delivery) without attempting to score. (c) With a bowler as subject: to deliver (a ball). (d) With a member of the fielding side as subject: to drop a catch.

17.. Laws of Cricket in Grace Cricket (1891) 14 He that runs for y⊇ Wicket that is put down is out. 1816 W. Lambert Cricketer's Guide (ed. 6) iii. 39 If the Striker should move of his ground, with an intention to run, he [sc. the wicket⁓keeper] must then do his best endeavour to put down the Wicket, which is called stumping out. 1841 in Cricket Q. (1967) V. i. 13 Put down,..to put down a ball or the bowling... Dean putting the bowling down. 1860 Baily's Monthly Mag. Oct. 41 With rare patience did he stop at home and skilfully put down the slows, rarely even attempting to hit them. 1893 R. Daft Kings of Cricket xv. 260, I have often seen little men put down with ease a bumping ball which many taller men would let hit their fingers. 1906 A. E. Knight Compl. Cricketer iv. 150 When bowlers or wicket-keepers neglect this precaution [of keeping behind the wicket], it may happen that the throw forces them back upon the wicket which they are unable to legitimately put down. 1924 A. C. Maclaren Cricket Old & New xiv. 140 On sticky wickets I should doubt if he [sc. J. T. Hearne] ever put down a bad ball. 1955 I. Peebles Ashes vii. 67 At 26 he had another bit of luck when Hole put him down at first slip.

    n. U.S. To preserve (food).

1843 Knickerbocker XXI. 436 Daniel Gilbert's property..cut up very handsomely, (to borrow the common figure upon such occasions, derived from the putting down of pork for the winter). 1881 S. O. Jewett Country By-Ways 40 He's put down a kag of excellent beef. 1889 R. T. Cooke Steadfast xxi. 229 Who'll put down my pork and beef as Almiry did?

    o. Aeronaut. To land (an aircraft or spacecraft). Also intr. (with the craft or the pilot as subject).

1933 C. K. Stewart Speech of Amer. Airman (Univ. of Akron thesis) 85 Put down, to, to land. 1939 War Pictorial 6 Oct. 7/3 Orders are to ‘put down’ the machine on the two-acre landing-deck of a naval aircraft-carrier. 1946 Sun (Baltimore) 21 Dec. 17/1 The badly damaged C-47 landed at Phillips Field, while the Eastern Airliner put down at Washington. 1958 ‘N. Shute’ Rainbow & Rose i. 14 They put her [sc. a freighter] down at Launceston and taxied in. 1972 T. Lilley K Section xl. 183 Can you get a chopper..to bring in the District Commissioner?.. It can put down on the padang in front of the police station. 1976 ‘L. Black’ Healthy Way to Die ii. 17 The helicopter put down, the engine cut, the rotors gradually slowed. 1976 New Scientist 24 June 683/1 If there are no hitches the Viking lander should put him down early on 5 July.

    p. Jazz. To establish (a rhythm or a style); to play or perform. Chiefly U.S.

1944 D. Burley Orig. Handbk. Harlem Jive 145 Put down, say, perform, describe, do. 1952 B. Ulanov Hist. Jazz in Amer. (1958) vi. 67 He put down a good walking beat. 1953 Down Beat 11 Feb. 16/3 Those old masters have really put something down, and it'll be a long, long time before those basic sounds change. 1968 Ibid. 7 Mar. 19/3 But the tenor saxophonists..reasoned that Coleman had been away from the source too long to know the hot licks that Harlem was putting down now.

    q. U.S. slang. To reject or abandon.

1953 D. Wallop Night Light xii. 135 You really ought to put school down and play full-time. 1959 L. Lipton Holy Barbarians 102, I put that scene [sc. domesticity] down when I got divorced. 1964 Amer. Folk Music Occasional i. 62 My mother was the mother of all those kids and my father look like he wanted to put her down, leave her. 1966 E. Liebow Behavior & Values of Street⁓corner Negro Men (Ph.D. thesis, Catholic Univ.) v. 111 Richard..once ‘put down’ a woman of thirty or so, foregoing the pleasures of her automobile as well, because ‘She's too old’.

    r. To replace (the receiver of a telephone), usu. abruptly, in the course of a call; to ‘hang up’ (the telephone) on someone. Freq. in phr. to put the phone down.

1966 A. E. Lindop I start Counting xxi. 263 He picked up Leonie's telephone..and got through to our flat... When he put down the phone he picked up Leonie. 1970 ‘M. Carroll’ Bait v. 67 He put the phone down on me before I could say a word. 1972 T. Lilley K Section xl. 187 ‘You know where I am now; keep in touch.’ Carter put the phone down. 1975 C. Fremlin Long Shadow iv. 33, I was..so startled, and shocked. I..just put the phone down. 1979 K. M. Peyton Marion's Angels v. 77 Geoff put down the receiver and explained gloomily to Marion what was expected of them.

    s. To put (a child) to bed.

1968 C. Armstrong Balloon Man i. 5 Johnny bounced out of his healthy three-and-a-half-year-old sleep at 6 a.m. The trouble was she had to put him down so early. 1971 D. Devine Dead Trouble iv. 33 Sarah Caine was putting Timmy down for his afternoon nap when the telephone rang. 1978 P. Niesewand Underground Connection 152 ‘Is the baby asleep?’ ‘I think so. She went off very quickly when I put her down.’

    43. put forth. a. trans. To stretch forth, stretch out, extend (the hand or other member of the body, or a thing held in the hand). Now rare or arch.

1362 Langl. P. Pl. A. vi. 28 ‘Peter!’ quod a Plouȝ-mon and putte forþ his hed. 1398 Trevisa Barth. De P.R. vi. vii. (Br. Mus. Add. 27944 f. 70) The modir..puttiþ and profreþ forþ þe brest to bede þe child. 14.. Hoccleve Mother of God 33 Thyn hand foorth putte & helpe my distresse. 1535 Coverdale 1 Sam. xiv. 27 He put forth his staff that he had in his hande. 1610 Holland Camden's Brit. (1637) 244 A little rivelet..that putteth forth his head neere unto the Castle De Vies. 1712–4 Pope Rape Lock iii. 57 The hoary Majesty of Spades appears, Puts forth one manly leg. 1848 Thackeray Van. Fair xxxi, ‘You are very unwell’, the visitor said, putting forth her hand to take Amelia's.

    b. To set forth; † to expose for sale (obs.); fig. to display, exhibit.

1362 Langl. P. Pl. A. xi. 42 Þanne telleþ þei of þe Trinite hou two slowen þe þridde..And puyteþ forþ presumpciun to preue þe soþe. 1382 Wyclif Ezek. xxvii. 17 Thei..puttiden forth in thi fayris bawm, and hony, and oyle. 1667 Milton P.L. i. 641 His Regal State Put forth at full, but still his strength conceal'd. 1878 Browning La Saisiaz 45 Light by light puts forth Geneva.

    c. To set forth in words, propound, state, assert; † in quot. 1535, to utter (obs.).

1362 Langl. P. Pl. A. ix. 115 To putte forþ sum purpos to preuen his wittes. 1382 Wyclif Matt. xiii. 24 Another parable Jhesus putte forth [Vulg. proposuit] to hem. 1388 ― Judg. xiv. 12 Y schal putte forth [1611 put forth] to you a probleme. 1480 Caxton Chron. Eng. ccxxv. 230 The kynges nedes were put forth and promoted as touchyng the kyngdom of Fraunce. 1535 Coverdale Iob x. 1 Now will I put forth my wordes. 1857 Buckle Civiliz. I. vii. 336 Such were the opinions put forth by Sir Thomas Browne. 1884 Brit. Q. Rev. Apr. 352 The Theory put forth by our brethren in the United States.

    † d. To thrust, push, or send into view or prominence, out of concealment, retirement, or privacy; to put out to service, etc.; in quot. 1482, to expose to something; refl. to push or put oneself forward, come forward; to offer oneself. Obs.

1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. xviii. 40 Tho put hym forth a piloure bifor pilat, & seyde [etc.]. 1482 Monk of Evesham (Arb.) 36 There we sawe..men and wemen..put forth to the gretnes of dyuers and inenarrabulle peynes. 1530 Palsgr. 672/2 Let hym alone, he can put forthe hym selfe as well as any man in this courte. 1557 Order of Hospitalls C viii, The Thresorer..shall put forth any of the children of this Howse to service. 1667 Milton P.L. vii. 171 Though I uncircumscrib'd my self retire, And put not forth my goodness. 1679–88 Secr. Serv. Money (Camden) 97 To Margaret Marshall, bounty..to put her children forth apprentices.

    e. To put in operation, to bring into play; to exert (one's strength), lift up (one's voice); also † to put it forth, and † refl. to exert oneself (obs.).

c 1400 Master of Game (MS. Digby 182) xxxiii, If þe hunters here þat þe houndes renne wele and putte it lustely forth. c 1420 ? Lydg. Assembly of Gods 963 Put the forthe boldly to ouerthrow Vertew. 1470–85 Malory Arthur x. lxxiv. 544 Whanne sire Tristram wold put forth his strengthe and his manhode. 1535 Coverdale Prov. viii. 1 Doth not wysdome crie? doth not vnderstondinge put forth hir voice? 1605 Bacon Adv. Learn. i. viii. §3 When Virgil putteth himself forth to attribute to Augustus Cæsar the best of human honours. 1674 Playford Skill Mus. i. ii. 42 A good way of putting forth the Voice gracefully. 1722 Wollaston Relig. Nat. iv. 64 If men would be serious, and put forth themselves. 1849 Macaulay Hist. Eng. iv. I. 434 It was to no purpose, however, that the good Bishop now put forth all his eloquence. 1892 Harper's Mag. June 81/1 They put forth their best pace.

    f. To issue, publish, put in circulation.

1551 R. Robinson tr. More's Utop. To P. Giles (1895) 8 If he be mynded to publyshe and put forth his owne labours. 1669 in Sir J. Picton L'pool Munic. Rec. (1883) I. 313 Puttinge forth halfe-penys without the townes lycense. 1826 Examiner 11/2 ‘John’..is about to put forth a new daily Morning Paper. 1849 Macaulay Hist. Eng. iv. I. 455 Jeffreys..advised James to put forth an edict declaring it to be his majesty's will and pleasure that the customs should continue to be paid. 1876 F. G. Fleay Shaks. Man. ii. ix. 242, I put forth in the year 1874 a chronological table of Shakespeare's plays.

    g. (a) Of a plant: To send out (buds or leaves). Also intr. or absol.: To shoot, sprout, burst forth into bud, leaf, or blossom. Sometimes, of an animal: To produce (feathers, etc.); † also, to develop (a morbid growth).

1530 Palsgr. 672/1 This eglantyne tre putteth forthe very tymely. Ibid., This peare tre putteth forthe all redye. 1599 Shakes. Hen. V, v. ii. 44 Her Hedges..Put forth disorder'd Twigs. 1626 Bacon Sylva §407 The standard [rose-tree] did put forth a fair green leaf... It is likely that if it had been in the spring time, it would have put forth with greater strength. 1667 Milton P.L. vii. 310 Let th' Earth Put forth the verdant Grass. 1737 Bracken Farriery Impr. (1757) II. 215 A Two year old Colt, that put forth a Bog-Spavin. 1865 Tennyson On a Mourner iii, The beech and lime Put forth and feel a gladder clime. 1884 Browning Ferishtah, Family 77, I may put forth angel's plumage.

    (b) intr. for refl. Of buds, leaves, etc.: To sprout out, shoot out, come out.

1592 Shakes. Ven. & Ad. 416 Who plucks the bud before one leafe put forth? 1658 Sir T. Browne Gard. Cyrus iii, In Acornes, Almonds,..the germ puts forth at the remotest part of the pulp. 1682 Creech Lucretius (1683) 146 When flowers put forth, and budding branches shoot. 1924 R. Macaulay Orphan Island xx. 262 Like some lovely fruit that puts forth, ripens, and tumbles, over⁓mellow, to the ground.

    † h. (a) trans. To thrust out; = put out, 48 b; (b) to put out (the eyes); (c) to extinguish (fire or light): = put out, 48 b (b), e (b). Obs.

1526 Tindale Matt. ix. 25 As sone as the people were put forthe a dores [1611 put foorth]. 1530 Palsgr. 672/2, I shall put hym forthe at all adventures, put hym in afterwarde who wyll. a 1547 in J. R. Boyle Hedon (1875) App. 88 All them that putethe furthe anye mens or womens ees. 1621 R. Brathwait Nat. Embassie (1877) 31 [Phineus] put forth the eyes of his children had by his first wife. 1631 Weever Fun. Mon. 493 By the negligence of a Scholler forgetting to put forth the Lights of this Chappell..[it was] burnt to ashes.

    † i. To turn out, dismiss from possession, fellowship, or service; to discharge, expel. Obs.

1545 in J. S. Leadam Sel. Cas. Crt. Requests (1898) 81 They [tenants] were dryuen to take copies of the Abbot for feare of puttyng forthe. 1564 Haward Eutropius viii. xxiii, Certain legions..he dismiste & put forthe of wages. 1589 [see putting vbl. n.1 9]. 1597 Beard Theatre God's Judgem. (1612) 445 He put him forth of pay, & tooke his horse from him by force.

    † j. To lay out (money) to profit: cf. put out, 48 m (b). Obs.

1599 B. Jonson Ev. Man out of Hum. ii. i, I am determined to put forth some five thousand pound, to be paid me five for one, upon the return of myself, my wife, and my dog from the Turk's court. c 1600 Shakes. Sonn. cxxxiv, Thou vsurer that put'st forth all to vse.

    k. intr. To set out, start on one's way, esp. to sea; to make one's way forward. (Cf. put out, 48 j.) Now somewhat arch.

1590 Shakes. Com. Err. iii. ii. 155 If any Barke put forth, come to the Mart, Where I will walke till thou returne to me. 1623 Bingham Xenophon 18 Cyrus putting forth a little before the rest, viewed both Armies at a good distance. a 1648 Ld. Herbert Hen. VIII (1683) 241 Hugo de Moncada..puts forth with a few Galleys. 1821 Shelley Time 9 Who shall put forth on thee, Unfathomable Sea? 1843 Wordsw. Grace Darling 50 Together they put forth, Father and Child! Each grasps an oar.

    44. put forward. † a. trans. To cause to ‘go forward’ or make progress; to further, advance. Obs.

1635 Cromwell Let. 11 Jan., in Carlyle (1873) I. 77 It only remains now that He who first moved you to this, put you forward in the continuance thereof. 1793 Smeaton Edystone L. §288 Being wanted at Plymouth, to put forward the work of..the lantern.

    b. To push into view or prominence, to make conspicuous; = put forth, 43 d. Also refl.

1611 Bible Acts xix. 33 And they drew Alexander out of the multitude, the Iewes putting [Tindale, etc., thrustyng] him forward. 17.. Swift (J.), When men and women are mixed and well chosen, and put their best qualities forward, there may be any intercourse of civility and good will. 1849 [see forward adv. 5]. 1886 A. Sergeant No Saint xi, People don't like to put themselves forward. 1888 Mrs. E. Lynn Linton Thro' Long Night i. ii, He wanted him..to put himself forward and make a dash.

    c. To advance for consideration or acceptance; to propound, advance, urge; to set forth, allege; to represent as: see forward adv. 5.

1855 Macaulay Hist. Eng. xvi. III. 678 The Duke put forward a claim which..might have been fatal to the expedition. 1872 Black Adv. Phaeton xx, The girl put forward all manner of entreaties in vain. 1885 Manch. Guard. 20 July 5/5 Showing the groundlessness of the argument put forward by the Economist. 1885 Law Rep. 14 Q.B. Div. 792 A spurious child whom she puts forward as the child of her husband. 1889 H. D. Traill Strafford iv. 32 Several theories..have been put forward to account for Wentworth's apostasy.

    d. intr. To press forward, advance, hasten on; to put oneself forward, come forward. ? Obs.

1599 Massinger, etc. Old Law iv. ii, Put forward, man! thou art most sure to have me. 1633 Bp. Hall Hard Texts 1 Cor. ix. 24. 217 Many make a profession and put forward to an holy conversation. 1745 Fielding Tom Jones xii. xii, Jones put forwards as fast as he could, notwithstanding all these Hints and Cautions, and poor Partridge was obliged to follow. 1815 Jane Austen Emma xix, Always putting forward to prevent Harriet's being obliged to say a word.

    45. put in. (Cf. input v.) a. (a) trans. To thrust into or place within a receptacle or containing space; to insert, introduce: see simple senses and in adv.

a 1300 Cursor M. 5823 (Cott.) He put his hand in, fair in hele, And vte he drogh it als mesel. c 1400 Lanfranc's Cirurgie 151 To fulfille þe wounde wiþ hoote oile of rosis & to putte in a tente. c 1450 Merlin xv. 236 Thei putt in fier, and brent hem ther-ynne. a 1533 Ld. Berners Huon xl. 130 When ther shypp was garnysshed, they put in theyr horses and ther armure. 1605 Shakes. Macb. iv. i. 43 And now about the Cauldron sing,..In chanting all that you put in. 1614 B. Jonson Barth. Fair iv. vi, Come put in his legge in the middle roundell. 1859 Tennyson Vivien 329 A Gardener putting in a graff. 1887 Baring-Gould Gaverocks xii, The old gentleman puts in his head at the door.

    spec. (b) To put (a letter) in the post.

1711 Swift Jrnl. to Stella 15 Dec., I put in my letter this evening myself. 1814 Owen's New Bk. Roads 191 Letters and Packets..are..to pay, at the Office where they are put in, the full postage to London.

    (c) To put into the ground (seed or plants); to sow or plant.

1805 Dickson Pract. Agric. I. 474 Drills..for putting in bean, pea, and turnip crops. 1845 Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc. VI. ii. 425 Oats..are put in with the grass seeds in one ploughing.

    (d) To place (a horse) between the shafts; to harness to a vehicle. Cf. put to, 53 c (c).

1840 Dickens Barn. Rudge xxi, The horse was accordingly put in, and the chaise brought round. 1891 Strand Mag. Jan. 90/2 Tell them to put the horses in at once.

    b. To install in or appoint to an office or position; sometimes with mixture of literal sense, as to put in a caretaker, a bailiff; so to put in a distress, an execution. Also spec. in Cricket, (a) to send (a member of one's team) in as batsman; (b) To cause (a team, usu. the opposing one) to take first innings.

1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) IV. 7 Whanne Odo was dede þis Elsinus..gat slyliche a maundmente of þe kyng, and was i-put in at Caunterbury. 1596 Shakes. 3 Hen. VI, ii. ii. 92 You..Haue caus'd him by new Act of Parliament, To blot out me, and put his owne Sonne in. 1745 Pococke Descr. East II. i. iv. viii. 267 The archbishop is put in by the patriarch of Constantinople. 1823 Lady's Mag. July 390/2 David Willis, who, injudiciously put in first..was bowled out, without a stroke, from actual nervousness. 1829 Examiner 716/2 The conduct of Mr. Mores, in putting in an execution under these circumstances. 1833 J. Nyren Yng. Cricketer's Tutor 118 Whenever a man is put out, and if the bowling have become loose, put in a resolute hard hitter. 1836 [see distress n. 3]. 1836 New Sporting Mag. Oct. 360 Eton having won the toss, put Winchester in. 1859 All Year Round 23 July 305/2 The town won the toss for innings, and put their men in first. 1887 Baring-Gould Gaverocks xxii, She..had to put in a couple, as caretakers, at so much per week. 1888 A. G. Steel in Steel & Lyttelton Cricket iv. 200 It is as well not to put in two hard-hitters together if possible, as it often tends to make one hit against the other. 1900 P. F. Warner Cricket in Many Climes 212 Lord Hawke, on winning the toss, put the other side in. 1976 J. Snow Cricket Rebel 78 It was to be his [sc. Mike Denness's] last as captain, after putting the Australians in and then losing the match.

    c. To present, or formally tender, as in a law court (a document, evidence, a plea, a claim, surety, bail, an appearance, etc.).

1459 Paston Lett. I. 499 There be many and diverse particuler billes put inne. 1557 in W. H. Turner Select. Rec. Oxford (1880) 265 Putyng yn suffycyent suirty for the payment. 1601 Shakes. All's Well v. iii. 286 Kin. To prison with her... Dia. Ile put in baile my liedge. 1654 Clarke Papers (Camden) III. 11 The Court ordered him a coppie thereof, and 14 dayes time to putt in his answere. 1742 Fielding Jos. Andrews iv. ii, If they have put in the bans, I desire you will publish them no more without my orders. 1781 D. Williams tr. Voltaire's Dram. Wks. II. 281 Colette may put in a claim. 1862 Temple Bar Mag. VI. 335 Gray hair No. 19 has just put in an appearance. 1888 Times 19 Apr. 12/3, I received..a letter from Mr. T. M. Kelly... (Letter put in.) 1891 Law Times Rep. LXIII. 733/1 At the trial..the plaintiff..put in an information sworn by the defendant.

    d. intr. To make a claim, plea, or offer: (a) to present or advance one's own claim, to apply for; to offer oneself as a candidate, to enter for, bid for; † to claim or profess to be, to set up for (obs.); (b) to interpose on behalf of some one or something, to plead or intercede for (quot. 1603).

1603 Shakes. Meas. for M. i. ii. 103 They had gon down to, but that a wise Burger put in for them. 1607 ― Timon iii. iv. 85 Lucil. Put in now, Titus. Tit. My Lord, heere is my Bill. 1622 Fletcher & Massinger Span. Curate i. i, A Woman..whose all-excelling Forme Disdaines comparison with any She That puts in for a fair one. 1627 Ussher Lett. (1686) 376 Many most unfit Persons are now putting in for that place. 1712–3 Steele Guard. No. 6 ¶5 He puts in for the Queen's plate every year. 1741 Middleton Cicero I. vi. 530 Clodius was putting in at the same time for the Prætorship. 1892 Sat. Rev. 16 July 65/1 Opposition without mercy to every Minister who puts in for re-election.

    e. trans. To drive in, cause or compel to go in: (a) Naut. (a ship) into a port or haven; (b) Falconry, (the game) into covert. Cf. 5.

1615 Chapman Odyss. (J.), Whom stormes put in there, are with stay embrac't. 1795 Nelson Let. to McArthur 25 July, in Pearson's Catal. No. 9 (1886) 29 The Agamemnon is put in here by bad weather. 1826 J. S. Sebright Observ. Hawking (1828) 25 If the bird is put in, the second may be in the right style, as the hawk will then have time to get up to his pitch. 1852 Burton Falconry Valley Indus viii. 78 They compare..her conduct, after she has ‘put in’ her quarry, to a cat's. [Footnote] To ‘put in’ the quarry is to drive it into a bush.

    f. intr. To go in, enter:
    spec. (a) Naut. to enter a port or harbour, esp. by turning aside from the regular course for shelter, provisions, repairs, etc.; (b) to make a call at a house for entertainment, or on a chance visit (now rare or obs.); (c) to fly into covert for safety, as a bird pursued by a hawk. In quot. 1612, to join, unite with.

1598 W. Phillip Linschoten. i. i, Lisbone, where some of our Fleet put in, and left vs. 1604 Shakes. Oth. ii. i. 65 Cassio. How now? Who ha's put in? Gent. 'Tis one Iago. 1612 Drayton Poly-olb. xi. 99 When Peever with the helpe of Pickmere, make apace To put-in with those streames. 1667–8 Pepys Diary 16 Feb., Mr. Holliard put in, and dined with my wife and me. 1719 De Foe Crusoe (1840) I. x. 168 Here I put in. 1883 Salvin & Brodrick Falconry Brit. Isles Gloss. 152 The place..where the quarry has ‘put in’.

    g. trans. To interpose (a blow, shot, etc.; a word or remark; also with the actual words as obj., usually preceding); to intervene with; to get in (a word). to put in one's oar: see oar n. 5 a. Also to put in the leather = to put the boot in s.v. boot n.³ 1 b.

16.. Digby (J.), A nimble fencer will put in a thrust so quick, that the foil will be in your bosom, when you thought it a yard off. 1693 Humours Town 30 A Man can no more put in a word with you, than with..some of our Coffee-House Holders-forth. 1722 De Foe Plague (1756) 145 At last the Seaman put in a Hint that determin'd it. 1821 Byron Juan iv. xlix, The third..took The blows upon his cutlass, and then put His own well in. 1837 Dickens Pickw. lii, My father..complicates the whole concern by puttin' his oar in. 1849 Macaulay Hist. Eng. iv. I. 493 Wallop sate down; and Baxter himself attempted to put in a word. 1862 Mrs. H. Wood Channings I. xi. 157 ‘Gently, Tom!’ put in Mr. Channing. 1889 C. Larking Everything agst. her III. v. 97 You may depend upon my putting in a word for you whenever I can. 1943 J. Phelan Lett. from Big House ii. 30 Almost before he reached the ground the party piled on him. Some punched and cursed, others..‘put in the leather’. 1952 M. Allingham Tiger in Smoke iii. 57 Someone has been ‘putting in the leather’... That was done with a boot.

    h. intr. or absol. To intervene.

1614 B. Jonson Barth. Fair Induct., He has..kick'd me three or four times..for but offering to put in with my experience. 1656 Earl of Monmouth tr. Boccalini's Advts. fr. Parnass. i. xc. (1674) 122 Unless your Majesty put in betwixt my misery, and my Creditors rage. a 1713 T. Ellwood Autobiog. (1714) 254 [A Man] of a Temper so throughly Peaceable, that he had not hitherto put in at all. 1855 Harper's Mag. Oct. 602/1 The unfortunate victim hollowed out, ‘Oh, Moses, if you have any love for your brother, put in, and divide this fight!’ 1901 W. N. Harben Westerfelt 290 You wus tellin' me..'at the lan'an' house wus in yore name an' her'n, an' 'at I had no right to put in.

    i. trans. To furnish in addition, to ‘throw in’; to insert as an addition or supplement.

1632 Massinger City Madam ii. ii, These are arts Would not misbecome you, tho' you should put-in Obedience and duty. 1643 [Angier] Lanc. Vall. Achor 7 But when God put the work into their hands, he put in skill. a 1708 [see 48 e (a)]. 1858 Mrs. E. Lynn Linton Thro' Long Night ii. v, He..put in an untrained bass to her well-taught soprano. 1890 T. F. Tout Hist. Eng. fr. 1689, 209 The Lords put in amendments which the Commons would not accept. 1891 Mrs. L. Adams Bonnie Kate i, As though a painter had touched them with a brush fresh from ‘putting in’ a sunset.

    j. To contribute as one's share of work or duty; to perform (a piece of work, etc.) as part of a whole, or in the midst of other occupations.

1890 Standard 14 Feb. 2/8 The Dark Blues resumed work yesterday..and put in some useful practice. 1891 Gd. Words May 338/2 He had to..‘put in’ his term of military service. 1892 Pict. World 9 Apr. 670/2 Nothing could induce that man to put in more than four chapels a week. a 1909 Mod. I may be able to put in an hour's work in the evening. 1972 J. Aiken Butterfly Picnic i. 9 The hours I have put in hanging about for her on station platforms.

    k. colloq. To pass, spend, use up (a portion or period of time), usually by means of some occupation.

1863 C. B. Gibson Life among Convicts II. viii. 105 A man with a sentence of twelve years, no matter how exemplary his conduct, must put in nine years. 1882 Stevenson Fam. Stud. Men & B. 308 If he had to wait for a dish of poached eggs, he must put in the time by playing on the flageolet. 1889 ‘Mark Twain’ Yankee at Crt. K. Arthur xliii, I couldn't do anything with the letters after I had written them. But it put in the time. 1892 Field 10 Dec. 893/1 They..‘put in’ the summer at some fashionable resort.

    l. To inform against; to ‘frame’; to secure the conviction of (a person); to send to prison. Also transf. slang.

1922 A. Wright Colt from Country 153 ‘I might have a chance with the girl again.’ ‘After what you did to put her in?’ laughed the detective. ‘I like your hide.’ 1951 S. Mackenzie Dead Men Rising i. 52 Nothing would give me greater pleasure than to put you in, only that's about the one thing I've never done in my life. 1958 D. Niland Call me when Cross turns Over vii. 174 Don't put me in. Don't try to hang anything on me. 1966 P. Cowan Seed iv. 106, I suppose when they make you a prefect you'll put us in.

    m. To let in (the clutch of a motor vehicle).

1928 J. Galsworthy Swan Song iii. iv. 246 ‘This is where I put in my clutch,’ she said, ‘as they say in the ‘bloods’!’ 1943 A. Ransome Picts & Martyrs xvii. 167 He put in his clutch and drove off. 1976 ‘E. McBain’ Guns (1977) vii. 174 Colley puts in the clutch and manipulates the gear shift.

    46. put off. a. See simple senses and off adv.

[1825: implied in put-off 3.] 1891 C. Roberts Adrift Amer. viii. 125 Where..conductors and brakesmen..have nothing to do but hunt for dead-beats and put them off [i.e. off the train]. Mod. To save time, I had them put me off [from the steamer] at Gravesend. We took him in our boat and put him off at Godstow.

    † b. trans. To drive off, repulse, repel; to dispel, drive away. Obs.

c 1374 Chaucer Boeth. i. pr. iv. 8 (Camb. MS.) How ofte ek haue I put of or cast owt [orig. dejeci] hym..of þe wronges [etc.]. 1375 Barbour Bruce vii. 369 He ves sa fortravalit To put of thame that hym assalit. c 1400 Destr. Troy 8582 Telamon..þe Troiens pursuet; Paris hym put of, & preset hym sore. 1512 Act 4 Hen. VIII, c. i §1 To put theym of at theire landyng. 1627 Capt. Smith Seaman's Gram. xiii. 61 If we be put off, charge them with all your great and small shot.

    c. To postpone to a later time; to defer. Also absol.

1398 Trevisa Barth. De P.R. ii. ii. (Brit. Mus. Add. 27944 f. 12 b), [Angels] doþ his hestes..in an instant and puttiþ nouȝt of for to a morwe. 1530 Palsgr. 673/2 It is put of for this tyme. 1583 Stubbes Anat. Abus. (1882) ii. 9 Farre from delaieng, or putting of poore mens causes. 1664 Dryden Rival Ladies i. ii, All things are now in Readiness, and must not Be put off. 1699 Bentley Phal. Pref. 105, I am oblig'd to put off the Others to another opportunity. 1748 Anson's Voy. ii. xi. 254 The departure of the galeon was put off. 1889 Mrs. R. Jocelyn Distracting Guest II. xv. 227, I shall assuredly put our wedding off.

    d. (a) To remove or take off (clothes, or other things worn); to doff; to divest oneself (rarely another) of. (The opposite of put on, 47 c.)

1470–85 Malory Arthur vii. xxx. 261 He put syr Gawayne to the werse, for he put of his helme. 1530 Palsgr. 673/2 Put of his bridell and gyve hym a locke of haye. 1535 Coverdale Song Sol. v. 3, I haue put off my cote, how can I do it on agayne? 1698 J. Crull Muscovy 152 Their Way of Saluting is by putting off their Caps. 1771 Smollett Humph. Cl. 4 July i. §10 Should he be so weak or ill as to require a servant to put off and on his clothes. 1891 Eng. Illustr. Mag. Jan. 281 The hawthorn put off her bridal veil.

    (b) fig. To divest oneself of (a character, habit, or manner).

1526 Tindale Col. iii. 9 Ye have put off the olde man with his workes, and have putt on the nue. 1649 Milton Eikon. vi. ¶9 Putting off the courtier, he now puts on the philosopher. 1713 [see f]. 1889 Repent. P. Wentworth I. iv. 59 She met him very kindly... Certainly she had put off the scornful princess for the day.

    e. To ‘put out of the way’, make away with, kill. Obs. exc. dial.

1456 Sir G. Haye Law Arms (S.T.S.) 158 It war than spedefull that sik a man war put off for the better. 1868 Atkinson Cleveland Gloss. s.v., Hev ye heared at au'd Mally at t' work'us has putten herself off?

    † f. To dismiss, put away: (a) from one's mind or thought; (b) from one's service or employment. Obs.

c 1400 Destr. Troy 2664 Hedis to þat, And puttis of þat purpos: let paris not wend. Ibid. 11416 To put of þat purpos he paynet him sore. 1613 Shakes. Hen. VIII, i. ii. 32 The Clothiers all not able to maintaine The many to them longing, haue put off The Spinsters, Carders, Fullers, Weauers. a 1713 T. Ellwood Autobiog. (1714) 58 Having put off his Husbandry, he had put off with it most of his Servants.

    g. To dismiss or get rid of (as an importunate person or demand) by evasion or the like; to baffle or balk of his desire by giving something inferior or less acceptable (const. with).
    Sometimes with mixture of sense c: to dismiss till a later time, bid to wait.

1568 Grafton Chron. II. 141 The king put them of for that Season, and warned them to sue him about Mighelmas. 1630 Sanderson Serm. on Prov. xxiv. 10 §8 Let no man think to put off this duty with the Lawyers question,—But who is my neighbour? 1718 Free-thinker No. 16 ¶2 You may put them off with Shells, and Pebbles, or any Trumpery. 1846 Jerrold Mrs. Caudle's Lect. xv, Of course you've some story to put me off with. 1869 J. Martineau Ess. II. 2 Psychology has been put off with complimentary acknowledgments.

    h. To divert from one's purpose; to hinder, debar; to dissuade from doing something. Now usually (without const.), to hinder (a person) from performing some act by diverting his attention. Also, to cause (someone) to be mistaken.

1616 B. Jonson Devil an Ass i. iv, Nor can his mirth, With whom I make 'hem, put me off. 1642 Perkins' Prof. Bk. x. §646. 276 This exception shall not put off the grauntee of the piscarie in the same poole. 1662 J. Davies tr. Olearius' Voy. Ambass. 276 We could not by any means put off the second Brother out of an Humour [that] had taken him to accompany us. 1890 Fenn Double Knot II. vi. 114 Millet was put off from resuming the subject. 1918 A. Bennett Pretty Lady xxii. 146 ‘That's not you, Frankie!’ said the Major with a start of recognition... ‘Yes, sir,’ said Molder... ‘It was the red hat put me off,’ the Major explained.

    i. To pass, spend, get through (time). Obs. or dial.

1637 Rutherford Lett. (1862) I. 376, I am here, Sir, putting off a part of my inch of time. a 1704 T. Brown Dial. Dead, Reas. Oaths Wks. 1711 IV. 95 But what will serve the turn full as well, to put off half an Hour or so of Conversation. 1824 Scott St. Ronan's xxxvii, I am as stupid as he, to put off my time in speaking to such an old cabbage-stock. 1850 Tait's Mag. XVII. 727/2, I have purposely put off time, in order that if anybody was coming forward they might have an opportunity.

    j. To dispose or get rid of (a commodity) by sale; to make to ‘go off’, to sell (? now dial. and slang); † to dispose of (a woman) in marriage.

1639 S. Du Verger tr. Camus' Admir. Events 308 The middlemost called Callinice, which was likeliest to be put off, remained in the world to expect when her beauty..would purchase her a husband. 1654 Howell Let. to Sir E. Spencer 24 Jan., Of all Dowries exceeding {pstlg}100 there should be two out of every cent deducted, for putting off hard⁓favour'd and poor Maids. 1655 W. Gurnall Chr. in Arm. xlv[i.] §1 (1669) 404/1 As if it were of little more importance to marry a child, than it is to put off a horse or cow at a fair. 1705 tr. Bosman's Guinea 390 He may put off every Pipe for the worth of Twopence. 1864 Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc. XXV. ii. 295 As to oxen, I put off two lots in the year, one from the grass and the other from the yards.

    k. To dispose of deceptively or fraudulently; to pass off for what it is not; to palm off (? obs.); to impose unwarrantably, foist upon some one.

1653 H. More Antid. Ath. iii. i. §4 To sophisticate metals, and then put them off for true Gold and Silver. 1740 Chesterfield Lett. (1792) I. 187 A plagiary is a man who steals other people's thoughts and puts them off for his own. 1780 Newgate Cal. V. 79 Great part of this counterfeit money was put off at country-fairs. 1892 Harper's Mag. LXXXIV. 243/2 Do you think it was quite right..to put him off on your uncle, if you didn't like him yourself?

    † l. To set off; to make attractive, as food, etc.

1700 Wallis in Collect. (O.H.S.) I. 326 Riding the great horse..is the expedient for putting-off the great house to good advantage. 1758 Descr. Thames 234 A Mackrel, dressed as soon as taken,..requires no Goosberries or rich Sauce to put it off.

    † m. Farriery. To discharge, pass. Obs.

1737 Bracken Farriery Impr. (1757) II. 84 Low Feeding..causes a Horse to put off his Meat before it has been sufficiently acted upon by the Stomach. Ibid. 103.

    n. (a) intr. Naut. To leave the land; to set out or start on a voyage; also, to leave a ship, as a boat. (b) intr. To depart, leave a place, make off. rare, ? now only U.S. (cf. 8 b). (c) trans. To push off, send off (a boat) from the land, or from a ship. (= put out, 48 j.)

(a) 1582 N. Lichefield tr. Castanheda's Conq. E. Ind. i. lxxix. 162 They did shoote such abundance of arrows..y{supt} they made our men put off. 1606 Shakes. Ant. & Cl. ii. vii. 78 Let me cut the Cable, And when we are put off, fall to their throates. 1629 J. Cole Of Death 90 When the ship is putting off. 1725 De Foe Voy. round World (1840) 66 A boat put off from one of the ships. 1748 Anson's Voy. ii. iii. 153 The six, who..remained in the barge, put off with her to sea. 1890 S. Lane-Poole Barbary Corsairs i. ix. 98 In the summer..Barbarossa put off to sea.

(b) 1858 Nat. Intelligencer 22 July (Bartlett) Over fifteen thousand persons have deserted their homes in California, and put off by every means of conveyance for Fraser's river.

(c) 1639 Winthrop New Eng. (1825) I. 312 He caused the boatsmen to put off the boat. 1892 Black & White 2 Jan. 25/2 It was too rough to put a boat off.

    o. slang or colloq. = put out (48 f (c)). Now usu., to offend, to disconcert; to cause (a person) to lose interest in or enthusiasm for something.

1909 Spectator 12 June 927/1 People..forget that a horse can be ‘put off’ as easily as a man. 1909 F. L. Barclay Rosary ix. 77, I am so afraid of her putting Dal off. He is so fastidious. 1928 Observer 19 Feb. 6/3 The prefatory note, with its apparently exaggerated claim, rather put me off. 1932 ‘E. M. Delafield’ Thank Heaven Fasting i. ii. 34 A man is very quickly put off, if he thinks that a girl hasn't even taken the trouble to remember what he looks like. 1949 D. Smith I capture Castle ix. 134 He'll end by putting them off us. 1973 L. Meynell Thirteen Trumpeters v. 80 I'm in grave danger of becoming virtuous. To see those acres of fat Germanic flesh spread out by the pool is enough to put me off for life.

    47. put on.
    * a. lit. To place on or upon something; to superimpose: see simple senses and on adv.: often with special implication, e.g. to put (a cooking-vessel) on the fire, (a play) on the stage, (a card) on another card already played; also, to fix or attach (a part) to some structure.

1711 Milit. & Sea. Dict. (ed. 4), The putting on of the Rudder is call'd, Hanging of it. 18.. Nursery Rime, Polly, put the kettle on, We'll all have tea. 1828 Sporting Mag. XXIII. 33 His head is not well put on. 1885 J. Payn Luck Darrells II. xxiii. 137 It is possible..to get a through carriage put on at St. Pancras. 1889 F. C. Philips Ainslie's Courtship II. vi. 63 A gorgeous spectacular piece..put on with a reckless disregard of expense. 1924 A. Huxley Let. 29 Apr. (1969) 229 Playfair, who is producing it for the 300 club performance, seems to think that it will make a very good entertainment and has some hopes of getting it put on for a run. 1941 L. A. G. Strong Bay 192 A couple of new plays that some amateurs were putting on. 1977 A. Morice Scared to Death i. 7 Presumably, if his play is any good, this David Winter would have put it on anyway?

    b. trans. To impose or inflict as a burden or charge. In quot. 1588, ? to ‘lay on as a blow’ (Schmidt). to put it on, to add to the price, to overcharge.

1382 Wyclif 1 Kings xii. 4 The moost greuous ȝok that he hath putte on to vs. 1588 Shakes. L.L.L. iv. i. 116 Finely put on indeede. 1879 M. J. Guest Lect. Hist. Eng. xxi. 210 The fines were not fixed sums; the king could put on just what he liked. 1891 Daily Tel. 16 Jan. 5/3 If any ‘brother’ comes out with profane language we put on a nominal fine. Mod. colloq. Half-a-crown for that job! They know how to put it on!

    c. (a) To place (apparel or an ornament) upon one's person; to don; to clothe oneself (or another) with. Also fig. in scriptural language (cf. d); of a plant, to ‘clothe itself’ with (leaves or blossoms).

c 1440 Alphabet of Tales 226 He did on his maister clothyng, & putt on his ryng on hys fynger. 1526 Tindale Rom. xiii. 14 Put ye on the lorde Jesus Christ [Gr. ἐνδύσασθε]. Ibid., Ephes. vi. 11 Put on the armour of god. 1628 Earle Microcosm. xx. (Arb.) 41 Hee has not put on the quaint Garbe of the Age. 1782 F. Burney Cecilia vi. v, Pray put on your hat. 1846 Mrs. Murcer Seasons I. 8 You must ask Ann to put you on a great coat. 1878 T. Hardy Ret. Native vi. iv, Mrs. Venn has got up, and is going away to put on her things. 1883 M. E. Mann Parish Hilby xv, The wife had washed him up and put him on a clean jacket.

    † (b) absol. To put on one's hat, to ‘be covered’; also, to put on one's clothes, dress oneself (Sc.). Obs.

1611 Chapman May Day ii. i. Plays 1873 II. 344 Tem. When your yong man came to me: I pray let him put on, vnlesse it be for your pleasure. Leo. He..can endure the cold well enough bare-headed. 1636 Massinger Gt. Dk. Florence i. i, Nay, pray you, guardian, and good sir, put on. 1788 Shirrefs Jamie & Bess ii. ii, I thank you Branky, what's the news in town? Pit on, pit on; How's Simon? ? a 1800 Queen's Marie xii. in Scott Minstr. Scot. Bord., O slowly, slowly raise she up, And slowly put she on.

    d. fig. To take upon oneself, adopt, assume (a character or quality, real or feigned).

1526 [see 46 d (b)]. a 1548 Hall Chron., Hen. V 33 This kyng..determined with hymself to put on the shape of a new man. 1592 Kyd Sol. & Pers. i. iii, In Italy I put my Knighthood on. 1600 Shakes. A.Y.L. v. iv. 187 The Duke hath put on a Religious life. 1781 D. Williams tr. Voltaire's Dram. Wks. II. 113 A young stripling..who puts on airs of gravity. 1809 Malkin Gil Blas xii. i. ¶8 Whim..determined her to put on the stranger, and receive my compliments with..coldness. 1890 Harper's Mag. June 20/1 The streets had put on their holiday look.

    e. In mod. emphatic use: To assume deceptively or falsely; to affect, feign, pretend. to put it on, to pretend to something in excess of the fact. Also, to impose on, to take advantage of; to puzzle or deceive intentionally. colloq.

1621 [see put-on ppl. a. 2.] 1682 Dryden Dk. Guise iii. i, 'Twas all put on that I might hear and rave. 1806 Lady Jerningham in J. Lett. (1896) I. 270 The first days the Duke supposed the illness a little Put on. 1888 Rider Haggard Col. Quaritch x, I wonder if he puts it on or if he deceives himself. 1891 Pict. World 8 Aug. 166/1 That voice is put on. a 1909 Mod. He is not so tired as all that; he is putting it on. The horse is putting it on with him; he knows the man can't ride. 1949 D. Smith I capture Castle xiv. 290 ‘We shall be ashamed of our callousness if father really is going off his head.’ ‘He isn't—he's putting it on or something.’ 1958 Times 12 Nov. 3/3 Miss Mollie Sugden's wife has got into the habit of ‘putting on’ her husband because the husband..rather enjoys being ‘put on’. 1958 Amer. Speech XXXIII. 225 When a hipster puts someone on he is pulling his leg (perhaps putting him on a stage to be laughed at). 1960 Willmott & Young Family & Class in London Suburb x. 111 ‘Some of the parents at the school seem to put it on a bit,’ said Mr. Prior, a bank manager whose children go to a local preparatory school, ‘you do get a bit of the old blue-blooded attitude among them.’ 1964 H. E. F. Donohue Conversations with Nelson Algren xi. 272 She's putting me on and I'm putting her on, and she marvels at her good fortune in meeting me, I'll marvel at my good fortune in meeting her. 1966 T. Pynchon Crying of Lot 49 vi. 167 Has it ever occurred to you, Oedipa, that somebody's putting you on? That this is all a hoax? 1967 ‘G. Bagby’ Corpse Candle (1968) x. 133 Greg was forever putting people on... He'd do it just for fun. The poetry was his way of putting the English faculty on. 1977 Sci. Amer. Dec. 17/3 Persi's brief description of the Rockwell prediction method was so outlandish that I assumed he was putting me on.

    f. To add, make an addition of. (a) To develop additional (flesh or weight). Also, to put it on. (b) To add (so much) to the charge or price.

1850 Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc. XI. ii. 580 [They] put on no meat until they were put up to feed. 1897 Allbutt's Syst. Med. IV. 4 The woman returned..in a state of robust health, having put on a stone in weight. 1900 M. Corelli Boy ii, I can never take sugar. I put on flesh directly. a 1909 Mod. colloq. How much have they put on to the price? 1933 E. Hemingway Winner take Nothing (1934) 35 It's terrible..the way I put it on. 1967 A. Diment Dolly Dolly Spy vii. 98 She had put on a lot of weight... I could see her checking herself off against Veronica—who has definitely been putting it on. 1971 ‘J. J. Marric’ Gideon's Art i. 11 ‘You both take sugar?’..‘Not for me,’ Slater said, slapping his rounded belly. ‘I'm putting it on again.’

    (c) To add (runs, a goal) to the score at cricket, football, etc.

1868 Baily's Mag. Sept. 246 The last wicket fell for 689, six players thus putting on nearly as many hundred runs. 1882 Daily Tel. 24 June, Five wickets were at this point disposed of for 258 runs. Of these Giffen had put on 43. 1891 Standard 6 Nov. 6/5 After crossing over the visitors could only put on one more goal. 1921 Glasgow Herald 17 Oct. 13/7 In the second half P. R. Johnstone scored, and afterwards G. A. Able put on another for Stepps. 1975 [see outfield n. 3 a]. 1977 World of Cricket Monthly June 32/1 Haroon and Imran put on 34.

    (d) Of a taxi-driver: to join (the end of a rank).

1930 A. Armstrong Taxi xii. 164 ‘Putting on’ is the taxi man's expression for coming on at the end of the rank. A driver will say he ‘put on sixth cab at the so-and-so’, meaning he came on the so-and-so rank when there were only five other cabs there. 1939 H. Hodge Cab, Sir? 22, I decide to put on a hotel rank.

    g. To lay, stake, bet (a sum of money).

[1849 Thackeray Pendennis lxii, Altamont put the pot on at the Derby, and won a good bit of money. Ibid. ‘I put on the pot, sir’. ‘You did what?’ ‘I laid my money on’.] 1890 Standard 21 July 4/4 The Defendant ‘put on’ for her 10l. upon Oberon for the Lincolnshire Handicap.

    ** † h. To urge onward, encourage; to incite, impel (lit. and fig.); to promote (a state of things).

1602 Shakes. Ham. v. ii. 408 He was likely, had he beene put on To haue prou'd most royally. 1605 ― Lear i. iv. 227 That you protect this course, and put it on By your allowance. 1642 J. Shute Sarah & Hagar (1649) 170 They haue put them on to the shedding of blood. 1689 G. Bulkeley in Andros Tracts II. 86 Tis onely..my reall desire of the Common good which puts me on.

    i. intr. To go faster, go ahead; to push on, hasten onward; to go on, proceed. ? Obs.

c 1611 Chapman Iliad viii. 217 When none, though many kings put on [orig. πολλῶν περ ἐόντων], could make his vaunt. 1653 in Nicholas Papers (Camden) II. 12, I am clearly of opinion he will now very speedily put on to make himself or some other..to be elected K. 1655 W. Gurnall Chr. in Arm. iii. §3 (1669) 252/2 No stop nor halt in their way, but ever putting on. 1746 in G. Sheldon Hist. Deerfield, Mass. (1895) I. 548, I came up with Othniel Taylor, on horseback, and ordered him to put on faster. 1811 W. Taylor in Monthly Mag. XXXI. 447 If she walks, put on; if she puts on, run.

    j. trans. To push forward (the hands of a clock, the time) so as to make it appear later. Also in fig. allusion.

1865 G. Meredith Rhoda Fleming xl, My belief, sir, is the clerks at Mortimer and Pennycuick's put on the time. 1885 C. H. Eden G. Donnington i, Heigh-oh, I wish some good fairy would put the clock on. 1891 F. W. Robinson Her Love & His Life v. i, We can afford to put on the hands of the clock a few more weeks.

    *** k. To bring into action or operation; to cause to act; to apply; to exert. With various objects, as a screw, brake, or other part of mechanism; steam, gas; force, pressure; pace, speed, etc.; often implying increase of force or velocity. Also in fig. applications: see pressure n., screw, steam, etc.

1748 Richardson Clarissa (1811) VIII. xlii. 171 When we were within five miles of Harlowe-place, I put on a hand gallop. 1863 W. C. Baldwin Afr. Hunting vii. 238 They [giraffes] do not put on the steam until you get within about sixty [yards of them]. 1867 Gd. Words 68/2 Now and then he even put on ‘a spurt’, as rowers say. 1889 G. Allen Tents of Shem III. xxxviii. 62 The driver put on the brake quick and hard. 1889 J. Masterman Scotts of Bestminster vii, Ann would soon make me bankrupt if I didn't put on the screw occasionally. 1894 Blackmore Perlycross xvii, He put on a fine turn of speed, and rang the bell. 1897 [see pressure n. 7].

    l. (a) To set or appoint (a person) to some work or occupation, or to do something; in Cricket, to set (a person) on to bowl; to set or appoint (a train, steamer, etc.) to make regular journeys or voyages; to lay (a hound) on the scent.

1836 New Sporting Mag. XI. 360 Mr. Paterson's bowling was again very reasonably put on. 1859 All Year Round I. 306/1 They put on bowler after bowler,..but they could not get us out. 1867 Trollope Chron. Barset (1869) II. xxx. 354 They say he's not very good at talking English, but put him on in Greek and he never stops. 1889 F. Pigot Strangest Journ. my Life 142 He put on good masters in subjects of which he only had a smattering himself. 1890 Graphic 11 Oct. 410/1 The Pacific Railway are putting on a line of powerful vessels to the East. 1891 Standard 12 Mar. 3/3 It was only when the day was well advanced that men were put on to clean it up. 1897 ‘Tivoli’ (H. W. Bleakley) Short Innings vi. 95 ‘I can't bowl slows’, expostulated Tuckett. ‘Then put someone else on’, returned the inexorable senior.

    (b) In slang phr. to put it on (a person), to charge to (someone else).

1895 People 6 Jan. 16/5 Arter all the brass..was nearly all gone, Selby says, ‘I'll go round to the Mug agin, and put it on him (make him pay) for another bit.’ 1944 L. Glassop We were Rats i. 6 I'll have a pint at the Royal tomorrer and put it on the blonde.

    (c) colloq. To draw the attention of or introduce (a person) to a particular person or thing.

1895 N.Y. Dramatic News 12 Oct. 5/3 Mr. Jack is always a newspaper man's friend, and only too pleased to put one on ‘to a good thing’ in the shape of news. 1901 O. Wister in Lippincott's Monthly Mag. Aug. 199 We're awfully obliged for the way you are putting us on to this. 1902 H. G. Wells Let. 2 Sept. in H. Wilson Arnold Bennett & H. G. Wells (1960) 83 Accept I pray you my warmest thanks. And also for putting me on to that quite brilliantly done and (as Dr. Robn Nicoll would say) most unpleasant book, Le Journal d'une Femme de Chambre. 1924 A. Christie Poirot Investigates vii. 165 A friend of mine in the City put me on to a very good thing, and..I have money to burn. 1926 H. J. Laski Let. 21 Feb. in Holmes-Laski Lett. (1953) II. 833 He also put me on to a new American life of Godwin. 1949 A. Christie Crooked House xii. 93, I could put you on to a couple of the tame psychiatrists who do jobs for us. 1977 C. McCarry Secret Lovers iii. 33 He put us on to some people who turned out to be..useful.

    48. put out. (Cf. out-put v.)
    * a. See simple senses and out adv. 1–6.

1530 Palsgr. 675/2, I wene he be deed, he putteth out no breathe. 1693 R. Lyde Retaking ‘Friends Adventure’ 4 He..then put out French Colours and fired a Gun, whereby we knew he was a Frenchman. 1831 F. A. Kemble Jrnl. in Rec. Girlhood (1878) III. 68 Having put out my dresses for my favourite Portia for to-night. 1879 ‘Cavendish’ Card Ess., Clay's Decis., etc. 69 He put out four cards and took in the stock.

    b. (a) To thrust, drive, or send out of a place; to expel, eject, turn out; † to discharge (obs.).

a 1300 Cursor M. 943 (Cott.) He put him oute..Vnto þe werld þar he was made. 1388 Wyclif Matt. ix. 25 Whanne the folc was put out, he wente in, and helde hir hond. c 1400 Lanfranc's Cirurg. ii. vii. 169 To helpe putte out þe fecis & wijnd & vrine. 1483 Cath. Angl. 295/2 To Putte oute, depellere. 1526 Tindale Mark v. 40 Then he put them all out..and entred in. 1875 Jowett Plato (ed. 2) I. 132 He is..put out by the constables.

    (b) To destroy the sight of, to blind (an eye), either by literally gouging it out, or by burning or other means. (See out adv. 4.) Also fig.

11.. [see A. III]. a 1300 Cursor M. 21451 (Cott.) His eien first put vte i sal. 1485 Caxton Chas. Gt. 194, I shal..also put out thyn eyen. 1595 Shakes. John iv. i. 56 Will you put out mine eyes?.. Hub. I haue sworne to do it: And with hot Irons must I burne them out. 1671 Milton Samson 33 Betray'd, Captiv'd, and both my Eyes put out. 1937 C. Carmer Hurricane's Children 105 He wore waistcoats that would put your eyes out.

    † (c) To expel, dismiss, put away. Obs.

c 1380 Wyclif Sel. Wks. II. 129 By þis word he puttide out slouþe, whanne he preiede his God. 1502 Ord. Crysten Men (W. de W. 1506) i. iii. C vj, Hym [the man chylde] lyketh to put out all thy fraudes and decepcyons.

    (d) To put out of joint; to dislocate. (out adv. 19.)

1780 J. Woodforde Diary 15 July (1924) I. 289 John had a fall lately..and put out his shoulder bone, being a little merry. c 1820 Mrs. Sherwood Penny Tract 8 (Houlston's Juv. Tr.) Francis..had the misfortune to put out his ancle. 1890 Blackw. Mag. CXLVIII. 567/2 He put out his shoulder in one of the most dangerous deadlocks.

    c. To remove or turn out of office, dignity, possession, etc.; to depose, dismiss. (See out adv. 4 b.) Now rare or arch., exc. in sense ‘to put out of play’, in games, athletic contests, or the like; esp. in Cricket, to cause (a batsman) to be ‘out’ (out adv. 4 c, 19 c); in Baseball, to cause (a batter or runner) to be ‘out’; in Boxing, to knock out.

1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) II. 403 Pelias..dredde lest Iason..wolde werre in his londes and putte hym out. c 1420 Brut 345 He deposid & put out the Mayre of London. 1530 Palsgr. 675/1 He was baylyffe of the towne, but the lorde hath put hym out. 1694 Evelyn Diary 22 Nov., The same day..that Abp. Sancroft was put out. 1735 in Waghorn Cricket Scores (1899) 9 Upon London's second innings four of them were put out before they headed the county. 1744 J. Love Cricket iii. (1754) Argt., Bryan is put out by Kips. 1818 Cruise Digest (ed. 2) II. 77 If a man puts out his lessee for years, or disseises his lessee for life. 1845 in Appleton's Ann. Cycl. XXV. 77/2 A runner can not be put out in making one base, when a balk is made by the pitcher. 1890 Field 24 May 776/2 Although nearly put out..in the fifth round, his steady shooting eventually enabled him to win. 1890 St. Nicholas Mag. Aug. 830/2 So easily fielded as to result in putting out the batsman. 1910 J. Driscoll Ringcraft iii. 84, I have..not infrequently put opponents ‘out’ with a blow on the neck. 1912 C. Mathewson Pitching in a Pinch 107 Snodgrass was put out trying to get to third base.

    d. To extinguish, do away with, put an end to, destroy, abolish. Now only in slang use, to kill (a person). (Perh. a fig. use of sense e (b).)

1398 Trevisa Barth. De P.R. xviii. xxiii. (Bodl. MS.), His [goottes] galle putteþ oute dymnes of yȝen. 1580 Sidney Ps. ix. iii, Their renoune..Thou dost put out. c 1650 Fuller Life H. Smith S.'s Wks. 1866 I. 7 Those who..bury their talents in the ground, putting them out, because they will not put them out, extinguishing their abilities because they will not employ them. 1826 Southey Vind. Eccl. Angl. 180 An odour which put out the former perfume. 1890 Field 24 May 776/3 A sharp left-hander put out Mr. Ellis's chance. 1917 W. Owen Let. 25 Apr. (1967) 452 For twelve days we lay in holes, where at any moment a shell might put us out. 1935 E. Wallace Mouthpiece xvii. 225 That's the offer the gentleman made—five hundred quid to put you out and keep me mouth shut. 1975 ‘E. Lathen’ By Hook or by Crook xii. 114 The minute his stomach started acting up, he would've been yelling for the cops. He had to be put out fast.

    e. † (a) To strike out or delete (a writing, drawing, etc.); to expunge, erase, efface. Obs.

1530 Palsgr. 675/1 There was a writynge upon his grave, but the weather hath put it out. Ibid., Here was a horse properly paynted, but all his heed is put out. 1535 Coverdale Ps. l[i]. 9 Turne thy face fro my synnes, and put out all my myszdedes. 1568 Grafton Chron. II. 103 He sent to the foure Bishops againe, that they should put out that poynt of restitution. 1610 Willet Hexapla Dan. 356 When he portraiteth the picture he putteth out the first lines [= outlines]. a 1708 Beveridge Thes. Theol. (1710) II. 312 The Constantinopolitan Bishops put a patre into the Creed, the Western Churches filioque..; Leo III put it out, and Nicolaus put it in again, and so arose the schism.

    (b) To extinguish (fire or light, or a burning or luminous body). (See out adv. 6, 22 a.)

1526 Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 40 No wynde ne rayne coude quenche it ne put it out. 1530 Palsgr. 675/1 Rake up the fyre and put out the candell. 1671 Grew Anat. Plants Ep. Ded., It is your Glory, that you like not so to shine, as to put out the least Star. 1709 Steele Tatler No. 58 ¶1 All my idle Flames are extinguish'd, as you may observe, ordinary Fires are often put out by the Sunshine. 1846 Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc. VII. ii. 546 Water was used to put the fire out. 1889 A. Sergeant Esther Denison i. x, A draught from the door put out the candles.

    f. (With person as obj.) (out adv. 5, 20.) † (a) To baffle, foil, defeat. Obs. rare.

1485 Caxton Chas. Gt. 218 He beyng put out alle fro hys purpose, toke leue of the kyng.

    (b) To cause to lose one's self-possession; to disconcert, discompose, confuse, embarrass.

1588 Shakes. L.L.L. v. ii. 102 Euer and anon they made a doubt, Presence maiesticall would put him out. 1834 J. H. Newman Let. to R. F. Wilson 15 June, You must not be at all surprised or put out at feeling the difficulties you describe. a 1849 Poe Diddling Wks. 1864 IV. 268 He is never seduced into a flurry. He is never put out. 1886 Mrs. C. Praed Miss Jacobsen II. xiii. 203 You are so cool and composed, and nothing puts you out.

    (c) To disconcert, disturb, or ‘upset’ (any one) in the course of his action, speech, calculation, etc.; to interrupt or distract (an actor, orator, reciter, musician, or performer), so as to cause him to lose the ‘thread’ of his subject: see out adv. 5, 20.

1673 Wycherley Gentl. Dancing-Master iv. i, My aunt is here, and she will put me out: you know I cannot dance before her. 1831 F. A. Kemble Jrnl. in Rec. Girlhood (1878) III. 53 They put us out terribly in one scene by forgetting the bench on which I have to sit down. 1890 Sat. Rev. 9 Aug. 165/1 The bill-brokers..are therefore put out in their calculations. Mod. I had learned my speech carefully, but she put me out by giggling.

    (d) To cause to lose one's equanimity; to distress, ‘upset’ (mentally); in mod. use, to put out of temper, annoy, irritate, vex.

1822 Lamb Let. to Wordsworth 20 Mar., Deaths overset one, and put one out long after the recent grief. 1861 Hughes Tom Brown at Oxf. xxvi, He was a little put out for a moment, but then recovered himself. 1871 Mrs. H. Wood Dene Hollow xxx, Sir Dene [was]..thoroughly put out with the captain. 1876 Doran ‘Mann’ & Manners I. Introd. 10 Mr. Fane was a very particular person, and was very easily put out.

    (e) To put any one out of his way; to put to inconvenience.

1861 T. Hughes Tom Brown at Oxford III. xvi. 290 Don't you lose heart because he won't put himself out for you. 1880 J. Payn Confid. Agent I. 154 Stephen..was not the man to ‘put himself out’— that is to say, to make the least sacrifice of independence.

    ** g. (a) † To utter, pronounce, give forth (words, the voice). Obs. (b) To vent (in words, etc.). rare.

c 1340 E.E. Psalter xliv[v.] 1 Myn hert put out gode worde. 1486 Bk. St. Albans e v b, The first worde to the houndis that the hunt shall owt pit Is at the kenell doore when he openys it. 1888 S. Tytler Blackhall Ghosts II. xix. 120 All his anger was put out on poor me.

    h. To put in exercise, exert; = put forth, 43 e.

1483 Cath. Angl. 295/2 To Putt out voce or strenght. 1592 Shakes. Rom. & Jul. iv. v. 124 Pray you put vp your Dagger, and put out your wit. 1659 Guthrie Chr. Gt. Interest ii. iv. (1724) 171 Unless a Man..put out Faith in Christ Jesus..he cannot be saved. 1856 Titan Mag. July 4/1 I'm not putting out my strength. 1890 Temple Bar Mag. July 302 When she puts herself out to please.

    i. To publish, issue, put in circulation; = put forth, 43 f. Also, to broadcast.

1529 More Dyaloge iii. Wks. 223/1 Tyndal hath put out in hys own name another booke entitled Mammona. 1621 Burton Anat. Mel. ii. ii. iv. (1651) 280 To peruse those books of Cities, put out by Braunus, and Hogenbergius. 1697 C. Leslie Snake in Grass (ed. 2) 141 There is a Primmer put out for the Quaker Children, by W. Smith. 1702 Addison Dial. Medals iii. Misc. Wks. 1736 III. 163 He put out a Coin, that on the reverse of it had a ship tossed on the waves to represent the Church. 1709 Hearne Collect. (O.H.S.) II. 279 To put out a new Edition. 1879 C. M. Yonge Cameos Ser. iv. xiv. 150 Injunctions were put out this winter..against carrying candles on Candlemas Day. 1938 H. Nicolson Diary 20 Feb. (1966) 323 On the late news it is put out that Eden has resigned. 1965 G. Melly Owning Up xi. 135 His version of ‘Rock Island Line’..was put out as a single and rose to be top of the Hit Parade. 1966 Listener 13 Jan. 78/1 Earlier this year Midland Region and Anne Owen put out..an unusually direct and perceptive investigation of present-day standards of honesty. 1978 Times 26 July 4/2 The BBC says that whatever it films and tapes it is entitled to put out.

    j. (a) Naut. To send or take (a vessel) out to sea. rare. (b) intr. To go out to sea; to set out on a voyage. (Said of a vessel, or person.) (c) intr. To depart, make off, go away; to set out. (Chiefly U.S.) (= put off, 46 n.)

1590 Shakes. Com. Err. iii. ii. 190 If any ship put out, then straight away. 1610 ― Temp. v. i. 225 As when We first put out to Sea. 1814 Cary Dante, Paradise ii. 14 Through the deep brine ye fearless may put out Your vessel. 1835 Niles' Reg. 22 Aug. 436 Apprehending judge Lynch's law, he put out in a hurry. He was pursued and caught. 1842 Macaulay Lays, Armada 11 Many a light fishing boat put out to pry along the coast. 1856 G. D. Brewerton War in Kansas 42 We ‘put out’ in search of fire and a shelter. 1889 Tennyson Crossing the Bar i, And may there be no moaning of the bar, When I put out to sea.

    k. (a) To stretch forth, extend, protrude (the hand or other member of the body); to extend from within an enclosing space; to cause to stick out or project; to display, exhibit, hang out (also fig.).

1535 Coverdale Gen. xxxviii. 28 The one put out his hande. 1585 T. Washington tr. Nicholay's Voy. ii. xi. 46 b, The port, at the entring wherof were put out all the flags..of our gallies. 1607 Shakes. Timon iv. ii. 28 Let each take some: Nay put out all your hands. 1687 A. Lovell tr. Thevenot's Trav. i. 14 When he had put out the Colours of St. Mark, we shewed ours. 1889 F. M. Crawford Greifenstein I. vii. 203 Putting out his hand to prevent the act. 1905 ― Soprano v, As if he were going to feel her pulse, and tell her to put out her tongue.

    (b) intr. Of a river or natural formation: to extend or stretch (in relation to a specified point). U.S. See also sense 8 c.

1755 N. Jersey Archives XIX. 532 One Mile from Shrewsbury River, and about three Quarters of a Mile from a good Landing that puts out of said River. 1840 C. F. Hoffman Greyslaer I. 116 A ledge of bald rock to the left yonder..puts out from the ridge. 1878 J. H. Beadle Western Wilds 311 Commenced the ascent of the Buckskin, a low range of partially-wooded hills, putting out across the plateau nearly to the Colorado.

    l. = put forth, 43 g. Also absol. Now rare.

1626 Bacon Sylva §653 They forsake their first root, and put out another more towards the top of the earth. 1688 Burnet Lett. St. Italy 138 The Trees had not yet put out their Leaves. 1737 Bracken Farriery Impr. (1756) I. 259 If the Sore seem to put out fungous or spungy Flesh. 1856 Titan Mag. Aug. 161/2 Roses..too sickly to put out their flowers.

absol. 1807 P. Gass Jrnl. 227 The grass and plants here are just putting out.

    m. (a) To place (a person) away from home under the care of some one, or in some employment; to turn out (a beast) to graze or feed; to plant out (seedlings, young plants); to send out (a domestic pet) for exercise, etc.

1602 Marston Antonio's Rev. iv. iv, As some weake breasted dame Giveth her infant, puts it out to nurse. 1639 Rec. Dedham, Mass. (1692) III. 65 Every Swyne that shalbe put out at liberty shalbe well and sufficiently Ringed. 1778 Eng. Gazetteer (ed. 2) s.v. Bromsgrove, A charity school for teaching, cloathing, and putting out 12 boys apprentices. 1851 Mrs. Gaskell Let. 7 Apr. (1966) 149 We are sowing very few annuals this year..& relying on putting out the greenhouse things for a summer show. 1852 Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc. XIII. i. 25 In the morning she [cow] was put out to grass. 1869 W. Longman Hist. Edw. III, I. xix. 343 Their children were often put out to wet nurse with the native Irish. 1892 Field 17 Sept. 442/2 To raise plants from seed, and..[have] a vigorous healthy stock to put out annually. 1917 D. Canfield Understood Betsy ii. 46 ‘Mother, did you put Shep out?’ 1925 Wodehouse Carry On, Jeeves! ii. 40 When he has put the cat out and locked up the office for the night, he just relapses into a state of coma. 1974 Listener 10 Oct. 462/1 The BBC's nightly Campaign Report..at an hour when most voters are putting the cat out. 1977 ‘E. Crispin’ Glimpses of Moon viii. 128, I was snug in bed... And then..I remembered..that I ought to have put Sal out... She barks rather a lot.

    (b) To lend (money) at interest, or lay it out to profit; to invest; also fig. to employ to advantage. Also (U.S.), To expend, lay out.

1611 Bible Ps. xv. 5 He that putteth not out his money to vsury. 1616 B. Jonson Devil an Ass iii. iv, With purpose, yet, to put him out I hope To his best vse? c 1650 [see d]. 1690 E. Gee Jesuit's Mem. 230 The said Dowry..is put out to Rent, and assurance given for it. 1781 D. Williams tr. Voltaire's Dram. Wks. II. 248 Employing it to do good is to put it out to the highest interest. 1884 Boston (Mass.) Jrnl. 13 Sept., If the opposing candidate did not have a rich father-in-law, who will put out money freely. 1893 Nat. Observ. 5 Aug. 290/1 The pound was put out to multiply itself.

    (c) To give (work) to be done off the premises, or by some one not in one's regular employment. Also, to place (articles) for collection by tradesmen.

1653 R. Verney Let. in M. M. Verney Mem. (1894) III. iv. 112, I will keepe but one woeman kind, who must wash my small Linnen (bed & board linnen shall bee put out). 1680 Moxon Mech. Exerc. xiii. 226 Being..unaccommodated of a Lathe of my own, I intended to put them out to be Turned. 1834 New Monthly Mag. XLII. 117 The farmer has availed himself of the power..to put out, as it is termed, the reaping of his wheat. 1846 Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc. VII. i. 124 To let or put out the job at a certain rate per acre. 1873 A. J. Munby Diary 18 Feb. in D. Hudson Munby (1972) 322, I should like very well to clean his boots..and I said to Tarrant ‘If you put 'em out I'll clean 'em with pleasure, along with mine.’ 1884 I. Banks Sybilla, etc. III. 49 Mrs. Price did not put out her washing. a 1909 Mod. All work is done on the premises; nothing put out. 1975 ‘D. Jordan’ Black Account v. 33 It was late; Sue was in her kimono and putting out milk bottles.

    n. intr. Of a woman: to offer oneself for sexual intercourse. Also const. for (a man). slang.

1947 Horizon Sept. 202 ‘Maybe all the whores'll be puttin' out free on New Year's!’ Muggleston shouted. 1961 J. Heller Catch-22 xiii. 131 The beautiful..countess and her beautiful..daughter-in-law, both of whom would put out only for Nately, who was too shy to want them, and for Aarfy, who was too stuffy to take them and tried to dissuade them from ever putting out for anyone but their husbands. 1975 D. Lodge Changing Places vi. 232 If she won't put out the men will accuse her of being bourgeois and uptight. 1977 I. Shaw Beggarman, Thief iii. i. 178 Sometimes those plain-looking little dolls are powerhouses when it comes to putting out. 1978 M. Puzo Fools Die vi. 80 He was especially challenged if a girl had a reputation for only putting out for guys she really liked.

    49. put out of. (See out of n.) a. trans. To remove or expel from (a place, or a status conceived as a place). Obs. or arch.

a 1300 Cursor M. 3047 (Cott.) Oute of þe hus was pute agar, Hir sun a-pon hir bak sco bar. c 1380 Wyclif Sel. Wks. III. 361 Þei puttiden men out of chirche, and persueden hem in Cristis tyme. 1483 Caxton G. de la Tour F vij b, God..made her to become lepre in soo moche that she was put oute of the town. 1530 Palsgr. 675/2 And I were as you, I wolde put my selfe out of the waye for a whyle. 1611 Bible John xvi. 2 They shall put you out of the Synagogues. 1768 Sterne Sent. Journ., Remise Door iii, It will oblige you to have a third horse, which will put twenty livres out of your pocket. 1779 G. Keate Sk. Nat. (ed. 2) II. 92 The new India silk handkerchief..which..he had forgot to put out of his pocket.

    † b. To expel or dismiss from the possession or occupation of property, office, etc.; to do out of. Obs.

a 1300 Cursor M. 7340 Þai wit-in a tuel-moth stage War put vte o þair heritage. 13.. Seuyn Sag. (W.) 1206 Thai sschal..Put the out of thi kinges sete. 1442 Rolls of Parlt. V. 45/1 Robbed..and put oute of his lande and godys. 1526 Tindale Luke xvi. 4 When I am put out of my stewardshippe. 1530 Palsgr. 675/2 All the crewe that was at Guynes is put out of wages. 1678 Wanley Wond. Lit. World v. i. §102. 468/2 The King..of Bohemia..is proscribed and put out of his Electorship. a 1715 Burnet Own Time an. 1679 (1823) II. 232 [The Duke of York] moved that the duke of Monmouth should be put out of all command.

    c. To expel from one's thoughts, memory, etc.

a 1225 Ancr. R. 92 Þet heo pute euerich worldlich þing..ut of hire heorte. c 1374 Chaucer Boeth. i. pr. vi. 15 (Camb. MS.) Thou..by-weptest þat oonly men weren put owt of the cure of god. 1470–85 Malory Arthur x. xxvii. 457 He putte all that oute of his thoughte. 1535 [see remembrance 1]. a 1548 Hall Chron., Rich. III 29 b, To obliterate and put oute of memorie that note of infamie. 1816 [see head n.1 59].

    d. To remove, liberate, or extricate from a condition of.
    to put out of misery or pain (euphem.), to dispatch or kill a wounded or suffering person or animal; also, to put an end to a state of mental suspense (by an unfavourable decision), to let one know the worst.

c 1480 Pol. Poems (Rolls) II. 287 To be put owt of dystress. a 1533 Ld. Berners Huon xlvi. 154 His grete youthe put hym out of his sorow. 1792 J. Woodforde Diary 16 May (1927) III. 351 My poor old Horse, Punch..was shot by Ben this Morning to put him out of his Misery. 1855 C. Kingsley Westward Ho! III. xii. 353 Writhing in his great horror, he called to Cary to kill him and put him out of his misery. 1911 Maclean's Mag. Oct. 286/1 Get the gun, for God's sake, an' put me out of my misery. 1923 G. Atherton Black Oxen xxvi. 145 Tell them all about it... Put them out of their misery. 1957 D. Robins Noble One v. 59 Then I'll have to stalk him and put him out of his misery. 1975 A. Christie Curtain xi. 113 We were talking of euthanasia... ‘Does the person most concerned ever wish to ‘put himself out of his misery’, as we say?’

    e. To remove from the region or sphere of; to cause to be out of the condition of.
    to put out of joint: see joint n. 2.

1530 Palsgr. 675/2 To put you out of doute it is so in dede. 1560 J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 235 To put the matter out of doubt. a 1586 [see joint n. 2]. 1659–60 Pepys Diary 9 Mar., I made a promise..to drink no strong drink this week, for I find that it puts me quite out of order. 1686 [see patience n. 1 f]. 1742 H. Walpole Let. to Mann 10 Mar., I will not work you up into a fright, only to have the pleasure of putting you out of it. 1855 Macaulay Hist. Eng. xvi. III. 685 The English Commons had sometimes put him out of temper. 1884 Manch. Exam. 15 May 5/4 The opposition of the Board of Trade..put that out of the question.

    50. put over. a. trans. Falconry. Of a hawk: To pass (the food) on from the ‘gorge’ or crop to the stomach; to swallow. Also transf. and fig. ? Obs.

1486 Bk. St. Albans a vij, An hawke puttith ouer when she remeuith the mete from hir goorge in to hir bowillis. 1575 Turberv. Falconrie 332 Sometimes..a hawke cannot well indew nor put over his meate. a 1656 Bp. Hall Sel. Th. §66 Death did but taste of Him, could not devour him, much less put him over. [1880 Jamieson's Sc. Dict. s.v., Tak some milk to put owre your bite.]

    b. To defer, postpone: = put off, 46 c. (Cf. carry over, hold over.)

1528 Hen. VIII in Burnet Hist. Ref. ii. Rec. xix, [If you] do thus delay, protract and put over the accomplishment of the Kings so instant desire. 1618 Hales Gold. Rem. ii. (1673) 16 Both these questions were put over to the next Session. 1655 Nicholas Papers (Camden) II. 210, I heard last weeke the day was putt over till Wensday last. 1828 Webster, To put over..(2) To defer; to postpone. The court put over the cause to the next term. 1871 ‘Mark Twain’ Lett. to Publishers (1967) 55 If you can without fail issue the book on the 15th of May—putting the Sketch book over till another time. 1926 J. Black You can't Win xxii. 343 We went to court again the next day, but were put over twenty-four hours on the plea of the police that witnesses were on their way from Canada. 1978 H. Kemelman Thursday the Rabbi walked Out (1979) xxx. 145 The only thing to do is to put it over for a week.

    c. To get over; esp. to get through (time); absol., to get over the time, ‘get along’. Now dial.

1593 Pass. Morrice (1876) 79 Which bad beginning was carelesly put ouer with the conceiued ioy of his presence. 1679 Burnet Hist. Ref. (1865) I. 541 To engage him in discourse, and so put over the time. 1823 J. Wilson Trials Marg. Lyndsay iv. 11/2 The stranger offered..money; but she..said they could all put over very well till their father was set free. 1851 Carlyle Sterling ii. iv. (1872) 118 There..he might put over the rigorous period of this present year.

    d. To convey or take across or to the other side; to transport: see over adv. 5.

c 1595 Capt. Wyatt R. Dudley's Voy. W. Ind. (Hakl. Soc.) 36 To give them a faire gale to putt them over to the maine. 1610 Holland Camden's Brit. (1637) 49 By swimming they put the horses over. 1890 Clark Russell Ocean Trag. II. xvi. 71 The helm was put over and the yacht's head fell off.

    e. intr. Naut. To sail or go across, to cross.

1617 Abp. Abbot Descr. World (1634) 283 Carthagena, a City in the maineland, to which he put over. a 1656 Ussher Ann. vi. (1658) 391 He put over from thence to Phocaea.

    † f. trans. To hand over, to refer. Obs. rare.

1595 Shakes. John i. i. 62 For the certaine knowledge of that truth, I put you o're to heauen, and to my mother.

    † g. To transfer, make over. Obs.

a 1641 Bp. R. Montagu Acts & Mon. vii. (1642) 432 To put over their wealth and possession unto their friends. a 1649 Winthrop New Eng. (1825) I. 381 It were good he..paid his sister her {pstlg}100 which he promised when I put over his land to him.

    h. To knock over (with a shot). colloq.

1859 H. Kingsley G. Hamlyn xxxvii, That pistol..I've put over a parrot at twenty yards with it.

    i. to put it (all) over (on), to excel or surpass (in a particular enterprise); to defeat or trounce.

1898 F. P. Dunne Mr. Dooley in Peace & War (1899) 172 I've seen..Fitz beat Corbett; an', if I live to cillybrate me goold-watch-an'-chain jubilee, I may see some wan put it all over Fitz. 1905 J. London Let. 24 June (1966) 175 If Hillquit..didn't put it all over Bierce—I'll quit thinking at all. 1944 Living off Land viii. 155 So far as bushcraft is concerned, he [sc. the Aboriginal] could put it all over you. 1973 Time Out 2 Mar. 15/2 The teachers..only had time for the Thomas boys; we were treated like shit. So we started throwing our weight around, we put it over on them.

    j. To make acceptable or effective; to convey or communicate; to present convincingly; = to put across (sense 36 b above).

1912 R. A. Foley in Mag. Maker Dec. 8 He saw his opportunity and he ‘put it over’. 1914 G. Atherton Perch of Devil ii. 298 You don't go into any business..and put it over without running the risk of being shot. 1928 Daily Express 18 Apr. 11/2 Is it true that you wanted a star name to put the play over? Ibid. 11 July 9/3 On the screen you..are fascinated by the extraordinary way in which he ‘puts himself over’. 1929 J. B. Priestley Good Companions ii. i. 252 He's a find. Works hard, got personality, puts it over all the time. 1931 F. L. Allen Only Yesterday viii. 213 The president emeritus of Harvard had had no professional talent to put over his funeral in a big way. 1935 Motion Picture Nov. 6/2 Clark Gable plays one of those powerful, he-men rôles in which he glories. And he puts it over with a bang! 1958 Times 1 Sept. 3/6 About Mr. Presley's ability to ‘put over’ a song in his own particular way there can be no two opinions. 1966 Listener 17 Mar. 380/2, I did not know how to select what I wanted to do or really put over emotion. 1978 D. Murphy Place Apart iii. 59 They blamed ‘that Paisley’... They agreed with his anti-ecumenism..but they didn't like the way he put it over.

    k. To impose (something false or deceptive) on a person; to best or upstage (someone); to achieve by deceit.

1912 J. Sandilands Western Canad. Dict., Put one over on him, catching him with the latest puzzling by-word or smart saying... A Winnipeg newspaper recently put up the heading, ‘Put one over on Bernard Shaw’. 1914 ‘High Jinks, Jr.’ Choice Slang 17 Put one over, to: to beat by strategy, ‘to hornswoggle’. 1916 H. L. Wilson Somewhere in Red Gap i. 19 Funny, the way the little man tried to put it over on us, letting on he was just puzzled—not really bothered, as he plainly was. 1923 R. D. Paine Comrades of Rolling Ocean viii. 130 Who calls it a crime to put one over on the Custom House flatties? 1928 A. S. W. Rosenbach Books & Bidders 117 One of the greatest hoaxes ever planned was put over by a French forger. 1945 C. Williams All Hallows' Eve 35 A fellow who's put it over all America and bits of England is likely to know where he is. 1958 People 4 May 8/3, I cannot see her letting any of the Italian or French sex⁓pots put one over on her. 1967 Listener 5 Jan. 37/1 Christmas, after all, is essentially an ‘old’ festival (however much Batman may seem to have put one over on Santa Claus this year). 1972 Wodehouse Pearls, Girls, & Monty Bodkin x. 150 It's low. It isn't done. You can't do the dirty on a business competitor just to stop him from putting it over on you in a business deal. 1976 Church Times 30 July 7/2 She may have been fleeced in Florence, robbed in Ravenna, grossly overcharged in Ostia..; but Baedeker at least has not tried to put one over on her. 1979 Jrnl. R. Soc. Arts CXXVII. 650/1 We are not appearing to put something over on the public.

    l. Baseball. = put across (sense 36 c above).

1936, 1943 [see sense 36 c above].

    51. put there.
    In imp. phr. put it (or her, etc.) there: shake hands! colloq. (orig. U.S.).

1898 R. Hughes Lakerim Athletic Club i. 3 ‘Put her there, Punk; you're a white man!’ Tug had to exclaim; and the two captains shook hands. 1915 A. Conan Doyle Valley of Fear ii. i. 154 ‘Put it there,’ he said. A hand-grip passed between the two. 1925 New Yorker 20 June 14/1 Well, I'll be damned. Glad ta see ya. Put it there. 1931 O. Nash Hard Lines 50 Put it there, Mr. Linthicum, put it there! 1947 Wodehouse Full Moon vii. 168 ‘I'm engaged!’... ‘Well, I'm dashed,’ said Freddie. ‘Put it there, pardner.’ So beaming was his smile, so cordial his handshake, that Tipton found his last doubts removed. 1970 Private Eye 13 Mar. 16 Glad to meetcha! Put it there!

    52. put through. † a. trans. (?) To get through, traverse, penetrate, cross. (Cf. 3.)

1708 J. C. Compl. Collier (1845) 21 Quick-Sands (if not to thick) are often put through by Deals or Timber.

    b. To cause to pass through any process; to carry (successfully) through; to carry out, bring to a finish; to get done with. orig. U.S.

1852 Mrs. Stowe Uncle Tom's C. xxxi, I rayther think she's sickly, but I shall put her through for what she's worth. She may last a year or two. 1888 Bryce Amer. Commw. II. ii. xliv. 163 Becoming accomplices in the jobs or ‘steals’ which these members were ‘putting through’. 1891 Longm. Mag. Aug. 379 Taking prompt action..to ‘put through’ a certain nefarious design. 1929 T. H. Burnham Engineering Econ. xv. 199 Rush orders are difficult to put through, even in well-organized works. 1966 ‘J. Hackston’ Father clears Out 54 Put through a second lot of tailings, but not from the same place.

    c. In literal sense, as To put a telegram or telephonic call through between points; to place a person in telephonic connexion with another through one or more exchanges.

1891 F. C. Allsop Telephones vi. 98 In an exchange system any of the stations wishing to communicate with any other must first ring up the central station, and request to be ‘put through’ to the other station. 1916 ‘Boyd Cable’ Action Front 86 Ask to be put through to the inquiry office. 1928 D. L. Sayers Unpleasantness at Bellona Club viii. 59 That phone-call you asked me to trace..was put through..from a public call-box. 1949 A. Christie Crooked House xvii. 139 He lifted the receiver—listened and then said: ‘Put her through.’ 1973 J. M. White Garden Game 182, I found the number and dialled Whitehall... I was put through to the Home Office.

    d. Econ. (See quot. 1959.)

1959 Economist 21 Mar. 1099/1 Where the market is narrow, as it can be for example in rubber and tea shares, the jobbing system may not work either smoothly or perfectly. The brokers in these shares then find it convenient to ‘marry’ the buying and selling orders. The normal practice has been for such a deal to be ‘put through’ a jobber at a very small turn for him... The stock exchange council..has now proposed a change in the rules governing these ‘put through’ deals. 1978 Times 17 Nov. 21/8 The principle of the put-through deal involves the broker finding a buyer for a large line of stock which one of his clients has on offer. The jobber then puts the shares through his books at a mutually agreed price but does not necessarily make such a good turn on it as he would if he was buying them from the broker and selling them on himself.

    53. put to. † a. trans. To add (actually or mentally). Also absol. Cf. 13. Obs.

1382 Wyclif Matt. vi. 27 Who of ȝou thenkinge may putte to [Vulg. adjicere] to his stature oo cubite? c 1460 Ros tr. Belle Dame sans Mercy 500, I may not put to, nor take away. 1502 Ord. Crysten Men (W. de W. 1506) ii. xvi. 124 Besyde the .x. commaundementes of god..holy chyrche hath put to fyue. 1577 Hanmer Anc. Eccl. Hist. (1619) 70 Pulling away some things, and putting to other some. 1605 Bacon Adv. Learn. ii. xiii. §7 When he cometh to a particular he shall have nothing to do, but to put to names, and, times, and places.

    b. (a) To exert, apply, put forth. to put to one's hand: to set to work at something; to render assistance. Now rare or arch.

1382 Wyclif Gen. xix. 10 The men putten to hoonde, and brouȝten into hem Loth. c 1450 Merlin iv. 70 Ye must put to grete besynesse to take the Duke. 1588 Parke tr. Mendoza's Hist. China 134 Putting to their diligence and industrie. 1603 Knolles Hist. Turks (1621) 1115 Where⁓unto also Clement..put to his helping hand. 1674 Ray N.C. Words 173 That so all Parties concerned may put to their fires at the same time. 1888 Bryce Amer. Commw. III. lxxviii. 33 People think of the government as a great machine which will go on, whether they put their hand to or not.

    † (b) intr. for refl., or absol. To go to work, ‘set to’. Obs.

1611 Shakes. Wint. T. i. ii. 277 [She] deserues a Name As ranke as any Flax-Wench, that puts to Before her troth⁓plight.

    † c. (a) trans. To attach, affix, ‘set to’ (as a seal or signature to a document). Obs.

1415 Hen. V in Madox Form. Angl. (1702) 16 Wee have, to these Vowes afore written, putto our sealles. c 1450 Godstow Reg. 145 Both partyes maade hit stronge by puttyng to þere seelys, euerych to oþer. 1552–3 Inv. Ch. Goods, Staffs. in Ann. Lichfield (1863) IV. 2 In wittenes wherof..we..to thes presents interchaungeabli have putto our handes. 1609 Bible (Douay) 1 Kings vii. 36 They semed not to be engraven, but put to round about.

    (b) To place (a male animal) with a female for breeding. Cf. 10 f. ? Obs.

1523 Fitzherb. Husb. §37 Euery man maye not put to theyr rammes all at one tyme.

    (c) To attach (a horse, etc.) to a vehicle (cf. 10 e); transf. (an engine) to a train.

1768 Sterne Sent. Journ., Montriul iv, I..bid him.. get the horses put to. 1815 Jane Austen Emma xxvi, You know how impossible my father would deem it that James should put to for such a purpose. 1841 Lytton Nt. & Morn. i. i, Tell the post-boy to put-to the horses immediately. 1862 Temple Bar Mag. V. 142 A Scotch engine was being put to at Berwick.

    d. To shut. Now arch. and dial.

c 1440 Gesta Rom. xxiii. 82 (Harl. MS.) Anon he put to the dore ayen. 1535 Coverdale Judg. iii. 23 Ehud gat him out at the backe dore, & put to [1611 shut] y⊇ dore after him, and lockte it. 1775 R. Cumberland Choleric Man v. iii, I'll put the shutters to. 1828 Examiner 588/1 Shut the door and put to the window shutters. 1903 Eng. Dial. Dict., Put to the door, put the door to. [Many localities: Scotland to Huntingdon and Devon].

    e. Naut. intr. To put in to shore; to turn in, take shelter.

1797 F. Baily Jrnl. Tour N. Amer. (1856) 195 We pushed off..and after going about twenty miles, were obliged to put-to on account of the wind. 1807 P. Gass Jrnl. 163 We put to at a branch of fresh water, under high cliffs.

    f. pass. To be reduced to straits; = to be put to it: see 28 c (b).

1791 J. Woodforde Diary 8 Aug. (1927) III. 291 We were rather put to for a Dinner in so short a time how⁓ever we did our best and gave them some Beans and Bacon, mince Veal, Neck of Mutton [etc.]. 1803 Pic Nic No. 6 (1806) I. 221 He is,..like myself, hard put to at times for a little money. 1886 T. Hardy Mayor Casterbr. iv, We must needs be put-to for want of a wholesome crust. 1889 M. Gray Reproach Annesley ii. ii, Terble hard putt to they be to beat out the time.

    54. put together. a. See simple senses and together.

c 1440 Promp. Parv. 417/2 Put to-geder, but not onyd, contiguus. 1690 Locke Hum. Und. i. ii. 9 Upon the first Occasion that shall make him put together those Ideas in his Mind and observe whether they agree or disagree.

    b. trans. To combine, unite (parts) into a whole; to join, e.g. in marriage.

c 1440 [see a]. 1530 Palsgr. 671/2 Sythe they be ones put togyther by the lawes of holy churche, I wyll never put them asonder. 1651 H. More Second Lash in Enthus. Tri., etc. (1656) 218 It is you that have put things together so ill⁓favouredly. 1687 Abp. Wake Prep. for Death 10 That those few directions I have here put together, may be as truly useful to you. 1793 Smeaton Edystone L. §271 Every thing was ready in the yard for putting together.

    † c. refl. To join, combine, unite. Obs. rare.

1556 Aurelio & Isab. (1608) P v, The Quene and the ladies put them againe together for to geve Affranio a very bitter sopper.

    d. To form (a whole) by combination of parts; to construct, compile, compose, compound.

1530 Palsgr. 676/1 He can spell, but he can nat put to gyther. 1638 Junius Paint. Ancients 18 Our mind putteth the whole figure out of those visible parts together. 1825 New Monthly Mag. XV. 212/2 This figure can be taken to pieces and put together with the greatest ease. 1862 Temple Bar Mag. VI. 404, I put together some account of a series of incidents. 1889 F. A. Kemble Far Away & Long Ago xii, His figure was ill put together.

    e. To combine mentally; to add or reckon together, to sum; often in pa. pple., taken or considered together, in a body, collectively.
    to put this and that together: to consider two facts or circumstances together and draw a conclusion from them. So to put two and two together: see two.

1622 Mabbe tr. Aleman's Guzman d' Alf. ii. 195 All this put together..was nothing, being compared with her retirednesse of life. 1707 J. Stevens tr. Quevedo's Com. Wks. (1709) 351 Put that and that together. 1748 Richardson Clarissa vii. (1810) 70 All these things put together, excited their curiosity. 1861 Temple Bar Mag. I. 468 He knew more than all the old school put together. 1865 Dickens Mut. Fr. iii. xv, He puts this and that together.

    f. Cricket. To make up, ‘compile’, as a ‘score’.

1890 Field 31 May 784/3 Webbe and O'Brien..put together thirty-nine runs for the third wicket. Ibid. 21 June 919/2 The largest score they have ever put together in a first-class engagement.

    55. put under. a. trans. To kill or bury (a person).

1879 R. A. Sterndale Afghan Knife II. vii. 75, I wanted to see your bonny face once more, in case these blackguards put me under. 1958 C. Watson Coffin, scarcely Used iii. 27 There'll be some pressure to have him put under without any unseemly inquiries.

    b. To render unconscious by means of an anaesthetic or by hypnosis.

1962 L. Payne Too Small for his Shoes v. 94 Given him something to put him under. Be right as rain. 1963 E. Lanham Monkey on Chain xiv. 207 He put Dora under and learned conclusively that she went down to Bleecker Street. 1971 P. O'Donnell Impossible Virgin xii. 235 ‘Is Willie going to give the ether?’ ‘Yes. I'll put her under myself.’

    56. put up.
    * a. (a) trans. To put into a higher position; to raise; to lift: see simple senses and up adv., also the ns. back, hair, shutter, etc.

a 1300 Cursor M. 5833 (Cott.) Þe water o þe flum þou ta And put it vp apon þe land. a 1400 Sir Beues 3040 Beues wiste wel and sede, Put vp a pensell, lest Saber vs drede. a 1500 MS. Ashm. 344 lf. 19 (Chess) And must he nedis put vp his pon & mated in c. 1503 Dunbar Thistle & Rose 54 The purpour sone..Throw goldin skyis putting vp his heid. 1605 Shakes. Macb. iv. ii. 78 Why then (alas) Do I put vp that womanly defence? 1662 J. Davies tr. Olearius' Voy. Ambass. 75 Married Women put up their hair within their Caps or Coifs. 1861 Hughes Tom Brown at Oxf. ix, There were others sneering..and that puts a fellow's back up. 1889 M. Gray Reproach Annesley v. i, Shopkeepers had hastily put up their shutters. 1897 F. Montgomery Tony (1898) 17 You will put up the windows in the tunnels, won't you?

    (b) To fix up for public view, to post up.
    Hence, of a cricketer: To score (so many runs); orig. to have them put up on the scoring board.

1833 Act 3 & 4 Will. IV, c. 46 §113 Such rules..shall..be put up, either in print or in writing, on such place..as the..council shall think proper. 1860 Baily's Mag. I. 428 Grundy put up 11 and 16. 1890 Globe 7 June 1/4 He put up notices requesting visitors to leave the plants alone.

    (c) To set up or mount (a person, esp. a jockey) on horseback; to employ as a jockey.

1848 Trollope Kellys & O'Kellys II. ii. 46 Brien was saddled..and Pat was put up. 1888 Times 26 June 4/5 Would they put up a jockey they believed to be dishonest? 1893 Illustr. Sporting & Dram. News 15 Apr. 183/1 Some trainers believe in putting up stable boys instead of jockeys. 1953 E. Coxhead Midlanders i. 32 Don't suppose you've yet been on horseback, miss? We'll put you up and see how you like it.

    (d) To put or bring (a play, etc.) on the stage for performance. Cf. put on, 47 a.

1838 Dickens Let. Nov. (1965) I. 465, I don't know what they put up at the Theatre for that night. 1852 Punch 11 Dec. 257/1 The entertainments this week have been of a slight and desultory character, the management being..glad to ‘put up’ anything they could get. 1890 F. Barrett Between Life & Death II. xxvi. 148 A new spectacle was..put up for rehearsal after Christmas. 1891 New Rev. Dec. 506 A manager..may ‘put up’ the ‘Midsummer Night's Dream’.

    (e) In imp. phr. put them (or 'em) up: (i) a challenge to raise the fists before a fight; (ii) a command to raise the hands above the head. colloq.

1923 E. Wallace Captains of Souls xliv. 240 I'm going to give you the damnedest lacing you ever had..put 'em up! 1937 Partridge Dict. Slang 672/1 Put 'em up!, raise your arms!: from ca. 1860... Put up your fists!..late C. 19–20.

    (f) To place (a military or other decoration) on one's uniform or other clothes.

1959 M. Gilbert Blood & Judgement xiv. 147 He could easily have put up a medal ribbon he wasn't entitled to. 1961 E. Waugh Unconditional Surrender 5 He had been trained in the first batch of temporary officers..had twice put up captain's stars and twice removed them; their scars were plainly visible on his shoulder straps.

    b. (a) Hunting. To cause (game) to rise from cover; to rouse, start.

? c 1475 Hunt. Hare 112, Y wylle ryde and putt her vp. 1575 Turberv. Falconrie 131 Let him which hath the Hearoner (that is the make Hawke) put up the Hearon. 1629 H. Burton Truth's Triumph 308 A spaniell..puts vp many a foule. 1711 Addison Spect. No. 131 §2 In Town,..I..put up such a Variety of odd Creatures, that they foil the Scent. 1805 Southey Lett. (1856) I. 345 Camp is in good health, and put up a hare. 1890 Longm. Mag. June 222 We put up a couple of tigers.

    (b) intr. for refl. To rise: (in Angling) of a fish.

1600 Surflet Countrie Farme ii. liv, When as the sappe putteth vp and commeth to the barke. 1890 Field 31 May 799/1 The trout that put up here and there were after a tiny speck of midge-like character.

    c. trans. To cause to spring up or grow; of a beast, to develop or ‘cut’ (a tooth).

1626 Bacon Sylva §549 It is reported, that hartshorn shaven, or in small pieces, mixed with dung and watered, putteth up mushrooms. 1854 Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc. XV. ii. 321 These teeth are put up when the calf is six months old.

    d. Cricket. To hit (a ball) so that it rises high.

1845 W. Denison Cricketer's Compan. p. ix, Had the chances from the ball being put up been taken advantage of. 1890 Field 31 May 790/2 Holden next put a ball up to long-on.

    e. To ‘raise’ (a shout). rare.

1892 Quiver Mar. 359/1 They put up a great shout of admiration.

    f. To raise in amount.

1890 Harper's Mag. Oct. 758/1 His governor..had quite lately put his allowance up a hundred pounds. 1892 Sat. Rev. 26 Nov. 617/2 Making preparations to put up the price still higher.

    g. colloq. To show, exhibit (a game, play). to put up an appearance (north. dial. and Sc.), to make one's appearance. Also to put up a fight, to acquit oneself well in a contest (also fig.).

1832 H. Martineau Tales Pol. Econ. II. iv, Demerara i. 10 A few of the sluggards who had not put up their appearance at the proper hour. 1892 Field 30 Jan. 133/3 Pettitt put up a good game..but it was not severe enough for the English champion. 1897 Outing (U.S.) XXX. 431/1 Able to put up a game at golf that the youngster will find hard to beat. 1919 H. Crane Let. 7 Mar. (1965) 13 Mrs. Brooks is afflicted with consumption against which she is doubtless putting up a strenuous Scientific fight. 1928 ― Let. 27 Mar. (1965) 320, I put up quite a fight, but neither of us were in much condition.

    ** h. † (a) To send or hand up to a superior for consideration; to present (a petition, etc.). Obs.

1362 Langl. P. Pl. A. iv. 34 Þene Pees com to parlement and put vp a Bille, Hou þat Wrong aȝeyn his wille his wyf hedde I-take. 1439 Rolls of Parlt. V. 9/1 In a Petition putte up to the Kyng. 1530 Palsgr. 676/1, I wyll put up a complaynt agaynst the. 1589 Pasquil's Ret. C iij b, The reuerend Elders of Martinisme had neuer put vppe any Billes of endightment against her the last Parliament.

    (b) To offer (prayer or worship) to God or a divine being ‘on high’; to present a petition to any exalted personage.

1641 [see putting vbl. n.1 9]. 1709 Strype Ann. Ref. I. xlvi. 502 Our church..put up prayers to God in the behalf of it. 1757 Hume Ess., Nat. Hist. Relig. §4 (1788) II. 377 The Lacedemonians..always during war, put up their petitions very early in the morning, in order to be beforehand with their enemies. 1848 Thackeray Van. Fair lix, The coarse tyrant..to whom she had been forced to put up petitions for time, when the rent was overdue. 1889 F. C. Philips Ainslie's Courtsh. xiii, Prayers for fine weather were put up. 1889 Doyle Micah Clarke xxv, At dinner I heard him put up thanks for what he was to receive.

    i. To bring (a person) up before a magistrate; to bring into court on some charge; to accuse formally.

c 1440 Alphabet of Tales 121 On a tyme he was ferd to be putt vp at þe sene [in synodo accusari]. 1526 Tindale Matt. x. 19 When they put you vp, take no thought howe or what ye shall speake. 1541 in Foxe A. & M. (1563) II. 1194/2 All these were put up for railing against the Sacramentes and Ceremonies. 1912 Galsworthy Justice ii, in Plays II. 59 Judge. Call the next case. Clerk of Assize. (To a warder) Put up John Booley. 1949 F. Sargeson I saw in my Dream 75 Anyhow he'd been sacked and put up for it, and he'd only got six months probation. 1960 ‘M. Underwood’ Cause of Death xii. 152 The clerk of the court..said in a loud clear voice, ‘Put up David Lucas.’ 1964 J. Prescott Case for Court ix. 175 Mr. Rose asked for the Sorensens to be put up at once so that the Chief Constable might make his application... The two accused were brought up into the dock. 1976 Howard Jrnl. XV. i. 42 There are a number of minor errors:..On p. 20 the prisoner is sitting in the dock before he has been put up.

    j. (a) To propose for election or adoption. Also, to propose for an honour or award.

1573 G. Harvey Letter-bk. (Camden) 2 Sinc mi grace amongst the rest was put up in the hous. Ibid. 3. 1682 Enq. Elect. Sheriffs 31 [They] both put up and Voted for Sir Humphrey Nicolson, and Mr. Box. 1692 R. L'Estrange Fables cxvi, The Beasts Met in Councel to Chuse a King. There were Several Put up. 1840 Lytton Money (ed. 4) i. 30 Shall I put you up at the clubs? a 1859 Macaulay in Encycl. Brit. (1885) XIX. 137/1 Soon after this debate Pitt's name was put up by Fox at Brookes's. 1967 N. Marsh Death at Dolphin vi. 154 We'll put you up for the Police Medal. 1971 J. R. L. Anderson Reckoning in Ice vii. 143 He was..a sailor, and I'd put him up for the Mariners. We met at the club occasionally.

    (b) intr. for refl. To offer oneself for election; to stand as a candidate.

1705 Hearne Collect. 20 Dec., He..modestly declin'd it. The like did also Dr. Hudson, who was desir'd by divers to put up. 1890 Doyle Firm Girdlestone xviii, He put up at Murphytown in the Conservative interest.

    (c) fig. To ‘set up’ for, offer (to do something).

1892 Quiver Sept. 872/2, I am not master enough of the occult sciences to put up for defending Dan's character as a charmer. 1969 ‘R. Gordon’ Facts of Life 140, I spend all my time putting up for jobs. In the last six months, I've been to Liverpool, Exeter, Oxford, and York.

    (d) trans. (with mixture of lit. sense): To bring forward (a person) to stand up and speak.

1889 Doyle Micah Clarke xxxv, What use to put a witness up, when he was shouted down..and threatened by the Chief Justice? 1890 Blackw. Mag. CXLVIII. 597/1 He was the only speaker the Conservatives could put up..to answer or criticise Mr. Gladstone.

    k. To send or hand in (a communication) to be published in a church in the course of the service; esp. in reference to banns; also, to publish (banns).

1685 S. Sewall Diary 26 Mar., I put up a note to pray for the Indians. 1830 Examiner 396/2, I then went and put up the banns. 1842 Marryatt Perc. Keene xxxii, We are to be put up in church next Sunday, and it takes three Sundays. 1892 Cornh. Mag. July 46 Their banns had been put up in the East End parish.

    l. To offer for sale by auction, or for competition.

1706 Lond. Gaz. No. 4287/3 The Buyer to pay down 2 Guineas each Lot, or to be put up again. 1856 Leisure Hour V. 279/2 The lot was put up again, to be knocked down for six and threepence. 1892 Chamb. Jrnl. 3 Dec. 773/2 Oughtn't the post..to have been put up for public competition? 1899 Goldw. Smith United Kingd. I. 108 He [Richard I] put everything up to sale.

    m. † (a) intr. ? To advance to, approach; or ? to make up to, address oneself to a person (obs.). (b) trans. To submit (a question, etc.) to a person: cf. 22, 22 b.

? 1728 Swift Discovery 17 Wks. 1755 IV. i. 298 With this he put up to my lord, The courtiers kept their distance due. 1906 Harper's Mag. June 68/1 When he finally put it up to me what I would do,—‘It would depend’, I answered, ‘on what it was the woman has done’. 1909 P. A. Vaile Mod. Golf xvi. 211, I am directing my manufacturers' energies to producing the exact amount of marking required [on a golf ball]... I should not have troubled with it had it not been ‘put up to me’, as the American would say. 1913 F. H. Burnett T. Tembarom xxiv. 306 ‘Oh, well, I just put it up to them.’.. ‘You mean that you made them feel that they alone were responsible.’ 1924 Galsworthy White Monkey i. viii. 58 I'll put it up to Mr. Desert; if he speaks for you, perhaps it may move Mr. Danby.

    *** n. (a) To place in a receptacle for safe keeping; to stow away; to put into a bag, pocket, box, or the like; to lay aside out of use, put by (somewhat arch.); to lay up in store, lay by for future use (now rare or obs.); to pack up, do up, make up into a parcel, or place in small vessels or receptacles so as to be kept ready for use.
    to put up one's pipes: see pipe n.¹ 1 e. (Cf. put away, 39 e; put by, 41 g.)

c 1368 Chaucer Compl. Pite 54, I haue put my compleynt vp agayne, ffor to my foos my bille I dar not shewe. 1382 Wyclif Luke xii. 19 Soule, thou hast many goodis kept [v.r. put vp] in to ful manye ȝeeris. 1588 Shakes. L.L.L. iv. i. 109 Thou hast mistaken his letter..Here, sweete, put up this. 1637 Gataker Serm., On 1 Tim. vi. 6, i. 134 They might not pocket or put up ought to carry away with them. 1651 French. Distill. v. 125 Put it up in bottles. 1825 New Monthly Mag. XV. 406/1 It will keep sweet a very long time put up in good flour barrels. 1883 M. E. Mann Parish Hilby iv, If you aren't for any more whist,..we may as well put up the cards. 1889 F. Barrett Under Str. Mask II. xiv. 76, I took the money..and put it up in the pocket-book. 1892 Field 21 May 778/1 The housekeeper..had put us up plenty of edibles and drinkables. 1916 Daily Colonist (Victoria, B.C.) 2 July 4/5 Sidney women, under Mrs. Wheeler, have started putting up jam for the boys at the front. 1924 T. S. P. Strangeways Technique of Tissue Culture 39 To put up the cultures take the tissues or organs which have been set aside for cultivation and cut up into suitably sized fragments. Ibid. 73 If more cultures are desired, put them up in a similar way. 1951 [see mid a., n.1, and adv. 1 c]. 1954 J. R. R. Tolkien Fellowship of Ring i. iv. 107 He produced a large basket from under the seat... ‘Mrs. Maggot put this up for Mr. Baggins, with her compliments.’ 1970 Nature 19 Dec. 1139/2 When either bone marrow or circulating blood cells from humans, mice or rats are put up in culture in a freshly made medium containing calf serum, few if any colonies of haematopoietic cells grow. 1971 R. Thomas Backup Men v. 34 He's helping me put up some marmalade.

    (b) To put into the sheath, to sheathe (a sword); also absol. to sheathe one's sword (cf. draw v. 33 b). Also fig. arch.

c 1470 Golagros & Gaw. 1123 Thai..Put up thair brandis sa braid, burly and bair. 1526 Tindale John xviii. 11 Put vppe thy swearde into the sheath [Gk. βάλε, Vulg. mitte]. 1592 Shakes. Rom. & Jul. i. i. 72, I do but keepe the peace, put vp thy Sword. 1602 Middleton Blurt Master Constable v. ii, Font. I'm arm'd: let him come in... Imp. Goe, goe, put vp. 1608 Dod & Cleaver Expos. Prov. 164 To be wary how we carry our tongues, that they be safely put up from doing of hurt, and never unsheathed. 1775 Sheridan Rivals v. iii, Put up, Jack, put up..—how came you in a duel? 1826 Scott Woodst. xxv, None shall fight duellos here... Put up, both of you.

    (c) To shut up, enclose (a beast for fattening, a meadow for hay).

1607 Topsell Four-f. Beasts (1658) 517 They put up a Hog to fatting. 1799 Washington Writ. (1893) XIV. 225 Before the period arrives for putting them up as porkers. 1854 Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc. XV. ii. 401 The stall beasts are..put up in sheds in October. 1892 J. C. Blomfield Hist. Heyford 2 ‘Ings’, or meadows put up for hay.

    (d) To settle (any one) to rest or repose; to settle (a patient) in bed.

1800 Med. Jrnl. III. 36, I just applied simple dressing,..putting him up in blankets, with no hope of his recovery. 1860–6 F. Nightingale Nursing 39 Everything you do in a patient's room, after he is ‘put up’ for the night, increases tenfold the risk of his having a bad night.

    (e) To deposit, stake (a sum of money); to pay up. Also absol. orig. U.S.

1865 ‘Mark Twain’ in N.Y. Sat. Press 18 Nov. 249/2 And so the feller..put up his forty dollars along with Smiley's. 1884 Boston (Mass.) Jrnl. 16 Aug., A wealthy Bostonian yesterday wagered $1000, and put-up the money, that Mr. Blaine's majority in New York State would exceed 40,000. 1891 C. Roberts Adrift Amer. 126, I will pick you up if you choose to put up a couple of dollars.

    (f) In imp. phr. put up or shut up: defend yourself or be silent. colloq. (chiefly U.S.).

1878 F. H. Hart Sazerac Lying Club 167 ‘P.U. or S.U.’ means put up or shut up, doesn't it? 1884 National Police Gaz. (U.S.) 26 Apr. 1 (caption) Put up, shut up, or get! 1889 ‘Mark Twain’ Connecticut Yankee xl. 512 This was a plain case of ‘put up, or shut up’. 1952 Manch. Guardian Weekly 1 May 3/4 The old alternatives will be revived: put up or shut up—get out or get on to the Yalu and beyond. 1976 Billings (Montana) Gaz. 17 June 6-c/1 It wasn't a case of put up or shut up because the money was voted as a sincere effort to clean up the mess.

    o. (a) To lodge and entertain (man or beast).

1766 Goldsm. Vic. W. xxii, The hired horse that we rode was to be put up that night at the inn. 1828 Blackw. Mag. XXIII. 375 Mr. Hunt..was ‘put up’ in the ground-floor of his Lordship's house. 1867 Trollope Chron. Barset xx, Mr. Robarts went to the inn, put up his horse, and then..sauntered back up the street. 1890 ‘R. Boldrewood’ Col. Reformer (1891) 129 Can you put us up for the night?

    (b) intr. for refl. or pass. To take up one's lodging, to ‘stop’ (at an inn, etc.).

1727 Philip Quarll (1816) 32 We put up at the first cottage. 1753 Scots Mag. Oct. 483/1 The inns where their waggons put up. 1840 Dickens Barn. Rudge xxxv, Let's either go on to London, sir, or put up at once. 1884 D. C. Murray in Graphic Xmas No. 5/3 Would it not be better..to put up here for the night?

    p. fig. † (a) trans. To ‘pocket’, submit to, endure, suffer quietly, patiently, or tamely (an affront or injury); ‘to pass unrevenged’ (J.). Obs. (now displaced by put up with: see (b)).

1573 G. Harvey Letter-bk. (Camden) 48 All this I put up quietly. 1600 W. Watson Decacordon (1602) 91 Abuses..which, with honour, he can neuer put vp at their hands. 1604 Shakes. Oth. iv. ii. 181. 1628 Earle Microcosm. lv. (Arb.) 79 He can put vp any iniury sooner then this. 1752 Fielding Amelia ix. iii, He who would put up an arrest, would put up a slap in the face. 1832 Philol. Museum I. 477 The ridicule which the minister..might put up from his jocose friend.

    (b) to put up with: to submit to (an injury), ‘to suffer without resentment’ (J., 1765): = (a); in wider sense, To bear, endure, tolerate, do with (anything inconvenient or disagreeable); ‘to take without dissatisfaction’ (T., 1818).

1755 P. Supple in Connoisseur No. 100. 605 All these indignities I very patiently put up with. 1761 Colman Genius No. 9 in Prose on Sev. Occas. (1787) I. 90 This loss..would have been the least, and most easily to be put up with. 1839 De Quincey Casuistry Rom. Meals Wks. 1854 III. 280 Whether Pope ever put up with four o'clock dinners again, I have vainly sought to fathom. 1887 Jessopp Arcady viii. 235 [An] organ grinder..hunted out of London streets, where they will not put up with him.

    **** q. trans. to put (a person) up to (colloq.): (a) To make conversant with or aware of; to inform of, instruct in (something, originally some artifice or expedient).

1812 J. H. Vaux Flash Dict. s.v., To suggest to another, the means of committing a depredation,..is termed, putting him up to it. 1824 Hist. Gaming, etc. 18 Those who had been ‘put up’ to the secrets, or made acquainted with the manner of doing the flats. 1828 Examiner 589/1, I want you to put the people at the inn up to my not coming. 1891 Cornh. Mag. Oct. 357 He put me up to one or two things worth knowing.

    (b) To stir up, instigate, incite, induce, persuade (to some action, etc., or to do something).

1824 in G. T. Curtis D. Webster (1870) I. 266 ‘You find it hard work enough this morning, I think’, said Mr. Webster. ‘Yes, Sir’, said the boatman, ‘it puts a man up to all he knows, I assure you’. 1849 E. FitzGerald Lett. (1889) I. 193 You must not believe however that it is only chance which puts me up to this exertion. 1889 M. Gray Reproach Annesley iv. i, Always putting them up to mischief. 1892 Gd. Words Sept. 584/1 He put me up to try to get into Harris's secrets.

    (c) Sense (b) used without following to and adjunct: to annoy, to vex (a person).

1930 H. G. Wells Autocracy of Mr. Parham iv. i. 266 This cheap Mussolini at Westminster is putting us up some! 1960 T. McLean Kings of Rugby xi. 160 Hill's protest was more likely to restore the true spirit of the game than..some other method of retaliation by the Canterbury men who believed that they were being put up.

    ***** r. To erect, set up (a building or other structure); to construct, build.

1699 M. Lister Journey to Paris 25 There are an infinite number of Busto's of the Grand Monarque every where put up by the Common People. 1818 in Willis & Clark Cambridge (1886) I. 573 The making a Bridge and putting up the Gates at the end of that walk. 1857–8 Sears Athan. xii. 102 A building which..God put up carpenter-fashion. 1873 H. Spencer Stud. Sociol. xi. 287 Here are lighthouses we have put up to prevent shipwrecks. 1879 Trollope Thackeray i. 58 A bust to his memory was put up in Westminster Abbey.

    s. To make up or compose by union of individuals or parts; spec. in Angling, to make up or construct (an artificial fly).

1892 Harper's Mag. May 870/1 Prussia, together with the remaining states, puts up sixteen army corps. 1892 Field 17 Sept. 454/1 When putting up a new fly, the wings, hackle, and body are painted over with the paraffin. Ibid. 10 Dec. 901/2 Our guest put up a cast of midges.

    t. fig. To concoct or plan in combination with others; to prearrange, preconcert (a robbery, or any iniquitous or underhand piece of work). Orig. and chiefly Thieves' slang: see also put-up ppl. a. 1.

1810–38 [see put-up ppl. a. 1]. 1856 Leisure Hour V. 542/2 Her account..affords a good example of the style of ‘putting up’ a house robbery. 1892 Illustr. Sporting & Dram. News 13 Aug. 790/1 Barclay put up a job to ruin old Overton.

    u. To judge, regard, or assess (a person, situation, etc.) in a particular way. U.S.

1877 ‘Mark Twain’ in Atlantic Monthly Nov. 590/1 Would you like to have me explain that thing to you?.. Now, this is the way I put it up. 1880 ― Tramp Abroad xx. 192 ‘Didn't I put you up right?’ ‘Oh, yes.’ ‘Sho! I spotted you for my kind the minute I heard your clack.’ 1895 Century Mag. Sept. 674/2 And Jack says to himself, ‘Well,..I done what I could! What is to be will be.’ That's about the way I put it up.

    VI. 57. In numerous idiomatic, proverbial, and other phrases, as to put to the blush, to the push; to put in one's pocket, in requisition, into (out of) one's head, into one's mouth, out of countenance, out of court, out of joint, out of the way; to put the boot in, the change upon, a (good, etc.) face upon, the fear of God into, one's foot in it, too fine a point upon it (point n.¹ B. 1 d), a person's pot on, one's shoulder to, spurs to; to put a bone in any one's hood, the cart before the horse, the finger in the eye, one's best foot foremost, one's nose out of joint, one's hand to the plough, pen to paper, a spoke in one's wheel, the wind up (a person), etc., for which see the ns.; to put next to (next a. 13 c); not to put it past someone (past prep. 3 b); to put (one) wise (to) (wise a. 3 b (b)).
▪ VI. put, putt, v.²
    (pʌt)
    Pa. tense and pa. pple. putted (ˈpʌtɪd).
    [The same word as prec., used in particular senses differentiated by pronunciation and by the use of the regular weak conjugation.
    This is not merely the Sc. pronunciation of put v.¹, which in Sc. is conjugated pit, pat, putten or pitten; while this is putt, puttit, puttit, and in current use felt as a distinct verb. But the regular weak conjugation formerly occurred in Eng. with senses belonging to put v.¹]
    † 1. intr. To push, shove, butt; = put v.¹ 1 d. to put on: to push gently, nudge. Sc. Obs.

1513 Douglas æneis ix. x. 91 The beste..Can allreddy wyth hornis fuyn and put. 1583 Leg. Bp. St. Androis 477 How everie wyfe on vther puttis, Bidding the bischop pay for his guttis. 1630 Rutherford Lett. (1862) I. vii. 54 It were time for us, by prayer, to put upon our master-pilot Jesus, and to cry, ‘Master, save us: we perish’. 1637–50 Row Hist. Kirk (Wodrow Soc.) 436 He sent one who, putting on me, awakened me. 1768 Ross Helenore 38 (Jam.), I putted o' you for to set you free.

    2. trans. To throw or hurl (a stone or weight) from the shoulder, as an athletic exercise; = put v.¹ 2. Sc.

[c 1300–: see put v.1 2.] 1724 Ramsay Gentle Sheph. ii. iv, When thou ran, or wrestled, or putted the stane. 1816 Scott Antiq. xxix, Auld Edie, that kens the rules of a' country games better than ony man that ever drave a bowl, or threw an axle-tree, or putted a stane. 1816 ― Old Mort. iv, Would the bumpkins but wrestle, or pitch the bar, or putt the stone.

    b. intr. = put v.¹ 2 b.

[c 1300–1535: see put v.1 2 b.] ? a 1800 Rose the Red & White Lilly xviii. in Scott Minstr. Scot. Bord., O it fell anes, upon a time, They putted at the stane. 1820 [see putter n.2 1]. Mod. Sc. Let's try who can putt farthest!

    3. Golf. To strike the ball gently and carefully (with the putter), so as to make it roll along the surface of the putting-green, with the object of getting it into the hole. Usually intr.; also trans. with the ball as obj. orig. Sc.

1743 [implied in putter n.2 2 a]. 1833 G. F. Carnegie Golfiana in R. Clark Golf (1875) 150 Well he plays the spoon and iron, but He fails a little when he comes to putt. 1857 Golfer's Man. in Chambers's Inform. for People 696/1 Some golfers put almost exclusively with a metal club, an iron or cleek. 1892 English Illustr. Mag. X. 59 It seems a little matter..to drive your ball up in one and ‘put’ into the hole in two more. 1894 Times 16 June 16/1 He..approached with his iron with great effect, and putted in most deadly style.

▪ VII. put, ppl. a.
    (pʊt)
    Also 7 Sc. putt.
    [pa. pple. of put v.¹]
    Place, set, appointed, etc.: see put v.¹ Usually with an adverb, as put-aside (in quot. absol.); put-away (put v. 38 e); put-down (42: in quot., degraded, 42 c); put-off (46: in quots., † cast away, abject (obs.); deferred, postponed, 46 c); put-out (48: in quots., 48 f (d), m (c)); put-together (54: in quots. 54 d); put-upon (23 f (b)); also absol. as n. to stay put: see stay v.¹ 6 b. See also put-on, put-up ppl. adjs.

1868 Yates Rock Ahead i. viii, The *put-aside and rejected of Gilbert Lloyd.

1891 Kipling Light that Failed (1900) 261 It was this *put-away treasure that he was trying to find.

1860 Gen. P. Thompson Audi Alt. Part. III. cxliii. 126 It ought to be asked in parliament, if parliament was not a *put-down thing and a plaything of the minister.

1636 B. Jonson Discov., Princeps, I am a wretch and *put of man, if I doe not reverence and honour him. 1871 Mrs. H. Wood Dene Hollow xxxix, A put-off wedding sometimes brings ill-luck.

1899 F. V. Kirby Sport E.C. Afr. xi. 118 Grunting in a *put-out sort of way. 1907 Westm. Gaz. 24 Oct. 10/3 The put-out work of some West End tailors.

1950 in E. C. Richards Diary of E. R. Chudleigh 23 Such a ‘*put-together’ mob of wild cattle required at least six to eight experienced stockmen. 1957 J. Kerouac On Road (1958) 21 Country boys in a put-together jalopy. 1970 Times 2 June 8/2 The essential of the put together look which stays put is a belt.

1920 Quill (N.Y.) Nov. 12 Lulu is the ideal poor relation of fiction, the *put-upon slavey. 1966 M. Kelly Dead Corse iv. 53 Those who follow unquestioning, docile, simple... The put-upon. 1976 Listener 6 May 586/2 Juliet Mills was very good as Cady's put⁓upon wife. 1980 G. Mitchell Uncoffin'd Clay iii. 32 Having to cook..a sensitive charwoman would regard as victimisation or, in her parlance, a put-upon.

▪ VIII. put
    obs. f. pit n.¹, pith; var. putt n.¹