Word definition: put

Etimology


From Middle English putten, puten, poten, from Old English putian, *pūtian ("to push, put out"; attested by derivative putung (“pushing, impulse, instigation, urging”)) and potian (“to push, thrust, strike, butt, goad”), both from Proto-Germanic *putōną (“to stick, stab”), which is of uncertain origin. Possibly from Proto-Indo-European *bud- (“to shoot, sprout”), which would make it cognate with Sanskrit बुन्द (bundá, “arrow”), Lithuanian budė, and budis (“mushroom, fungus”). Compare also related Old English pȳtan (“to push, poke, thrust, put out (the eyes)”). Cognate with Dutch poten (“to set, plant”), Danish putte (“to put”), Swedish putta, pötta, potta (“to strike, knock, push gently, shove, put away”), Norwegian putte (“to set, put”), Norwegian pota (“to poke”), Icelandic pota (“to poke”), Dutch peuteren (“to pick, poke around, dig, fiddle with”).

verb


put (third-person singular simple present puts, present participle putting, simple past put, past participle put or (UK dialectal) putten)

To place something somewhere.

To bring or set into a certain relation, state or condition.

(finance) To exercise a put option.

To express something in a certain manner.

(athletics) To throw a heavy iron ball, as a sport. (See shot put. Do not confuse with putt.)

To steer; to direct one's course; to go.

To play a card or a hand in the game called put.

To attach or attribute; to assign.

(obsolete) To lay down; to give up; to surrender.

To set before one for judgment, acceptance, or rejection; to bring to the attention.

(obsolete) To incite; to entice; to urge; to constrain; to oblige.

(mining) To convey coal in the mine, as for example from the working to the tramway.

Examples


She put her books on the table.

Philander went into the next room […] and came back with a salt mackerel that dripped brine like a rainstorm. Then he put the coffee pot on the stove and rummaged out a loaf of dry bread and some hardtack.

‘No. I only opened the door a foot and put my head in. The street lamps shine into that room. I could see him. He was all right. Sleeping like a great grampus. Poor, poor chap.’

Theſe Verſes Originally Greek, were put in Latin,

Put your house in order!

He is putting all his energy into this one task.

She tends to put herself in dangerous situations.

He got out of his Procter and Gamble bet by putting his shares at 80.

When you put it that way, I guess I can see your point.

All this is ingeniously and ably put.

His fury thus appeased, he puts to land.

to put a wrong construction on an act or expression

No man hath more love than this, that a man put his life for his friends.

to put a question; to put a case

Put the perceptions and you put the mind.

Now if there was one thing that the animals were completely certain of, it was that they did not want Jones back. When it was put to them in this light, they had no more to say.

These wretches put us upon all mischief.

Thank him who puts me loath to this revenge

Put me not to use the carnal weapon in my own defence.

noun


put (countable and uncountable, plural puts)

(business) A right to sell something at a predetermined price.

(finance) Short for put option.

The act of putting; an action; a movement; a thrust; a push.

(uncountable) An old card game.

Examples


He bought a January '08 put for Procter and Gamble at 80 to hedge his bet.

A put and a call may be combined in one instrument, the holder of which may either buy or sell as he chooses at the fixed price.

the put of a ball

The Stag's was a Forc'd put, and a Chance rather than a Choice.

Among the in-door amusements of the costermonger is card-playing, at which many of them are adepts. The usual games are all-fours, all-fives, cribbage, and put.

Etimology


Unknown. Perhaps related to Welsh pwt, itself possibly borrowed from English butt (“stub, thicker end”).

noun


put (plural puts)

(obsolete) A fellow, especially an eccentric or elderly one; a duffer.

Examples


Queer Country-puts extol Queen Bess's reign,And of lost hospitality complain.

The old put wanted to make a parson of me, but d—n me, thinks I to myself, I'll nick you there, old cull; the devil a smack of your nonsense shall you ever get into me.

The Captain has a hearty contempt for his father, I can see, and calls him an old put, an old snob, an old chaw-bacon, and numberless other pretty names.

Any number of varlet to be had for a few ducats and what droll puts the citizens seem in it all!

Etimology


Old French pute.

noun


put (plural puts)

(obsolete) A prostitute.

Examples


And Mrs. Penny-a-hoist Pim, said Mr. Gorman. That old put, said Mr. Nolan.

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