put
puut
Put (verb) means to move something into a particular place or position. Example: “Put the keys on the table when you come in.”
verb
1
To move something into a particular place or position.
"Put the keys on the table when you come in."
"She put her coat on the hook by the door."
"He put the heavy box down carefully next to the front door."
2
To express something in a particular way.
"Let me put it another way — this simply won't work."
"To put it simply, the shop is too small for so many customers."
"How would you put that politely in an email to your manager?"
3
To bring someone or something into a certain state or condition.
"The news put her in a good mood for the rest of the day."
"The soft music put the baby to sleep within a few minutes."
"Her kind words put me at ease before the exam."
4
To estimate or calculate roughly.
"I'd put the cost at around two hundred pounds."
"If I had to put a number on it, I'd say the journey takes three hours."
"Most people would put her age somewhere in the early forties."
noun
1
In finance, an option giving the holder the right to sell an asset at a set price.
"He bought a put to protect against a fall in the share price."
"She paid a small fee for a put on the shares she already owned."
"The trader sold a put, hoping the price would stay steady."
How to use put
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishOne of the most basic English verbs, meaning to place, position, or express something.
Common mistake
Not to be confused with "putt," the golf term for a gentle stroke on the green.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
put something down
put it this way
put someone in a mood
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Word forms
- Plural
- puts
- Third person singular
- puts
- Past tense
- putten
- Archaic forms
- puttest, puttedst, putteth
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
_____ the keys on the table when you come in.
Etymology
From Old English roots meaning "to push" or "to thrust" — the sense of physically placing something came later.
Synonyms
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Related words
Frequently asked questions
What does “put” mean?
The word “put” means to move something into a particular place or position. In plain terms, one of the most basic English verbs, meaning to place, position, or express something.
How do you pronounce “put”?
“Put” is pronounced puut (/pʊt/ in IPA).
How do you use “put” in a sentence?
Here is “put” used in a sentence: “Put the keys on the table when you come in.”
What part of speech is “put”?
Depending on how it is used, “put” can be a verb and a noun.
Where does the word “put” come from?
The word “put” comes from Old English. From Old English roots meaning "to push" or "to thrust" — the sense of physically placing something came later.
Is “put” a common word?
“Put” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
How many meanings does “put” have?
“Put” has 5 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to move something into a particular place or position.
What is the difference between put and putt?
'Put' means to move something into a place or position, and is one of the most common English verbs. 'Putt' is a golf term: to hit the ball gently on the green toward the hole. They sound different too — 'put' rhymes with 'foot,' while 'putt' rhymes with 'cut.'
What is the difference between put and place?
Both mean to set something somewhere, and often swap freely. 'Place' is a little more formal and suggests care or precision, as in placing a vase just so. 'Put' is the everyday, all-purpose word and can be more casual. You put keys down; you place a trophy on display.
What is the past tense of put?
'Put' is irregular and does not change: the past tense and past participle are both simply 'put.' You say 'I put it there yesterday,' not 'putted.' Only the golf verb 'putt' adds an ending, becoming 'putted.' This makes 'put' one of several verbs that stay the same across tenses.
What is an example of 'put' in a sentence?
'Put the milk in the fridge,' 'She put her bag on the chair,' and 'He put his hand up' all show the core meaning. 'Put' also appears in countless phrases, such as 'put off' (delay), 'put up with' (tolerate), and 'put together' (assemble).
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