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put down - definition and synonyms


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phrasal verb
Word Forms
present tense
I/you/we/theyput down
he/she/itputs down
present participleputting down
past tenseput down
past participleput down
  1. 1
    [transitive] to put someone or something onto a surface, especially the floor

    Emma put her bag down and went upstairs.

  2. 2
    [transitive] to pay part of the cost of something and agree to pay the rest later

    We’ve put down a deposit on the apartment.

  3. 3
    [transitive] to criticize someone, especially when other people are present, in a way that makes them feel stupid

    He’s always trying to put me down.

    1. a.
      put yourself down to criticize yourself so that people think that you are less good, intelligent, etc. than you really are

      Stop putting yourself down. You’re a very intelligent woman.

  4. 4
    [transitive] to write something on a piece of paper

    I put my name down on the list.

    Can you put your phone number down in the book?

    1. a.
      [transitive] to write someone’s name on a list, especially so that they can take part in something
      put someone down to do something:

      I’ve put you down to help with the food.

  5. 5
    [transitive] put someone down to put a baby in a bed so that it can go to sleep

    I put Claire down for a couple of hours this afternoon.

  6. 6
    [transitive] to kill an animal using a drug because it is very old, ill, or dangerous
    have something put down:

    We’re probably going to have the cat put down next week.

    Synonyms and related words
  7. 7
    [intransitive/transitive] if an aircraft puts down, or if someone puts it down, it lands
  8. 8
    [transitive] to use force to stop a protest or an attempt by people to take power away from a government or leader

    He used tanks to put down an armed uprising last June.

  9. 9
    can’t put something down used for saying that you think a book is so interesting or exciting that you cannot stop reading it
  10. 10
    put the phone down
    1. a.
      to put the telephone receiver back onto its base after you have finished talking to someone

      She put the phone down and turned to me with a worried expression.

    2. b.
      put the phone down on someone to end a telephone conversation with someone before they have finished speaking

      How dare he put the phone down on me!

See also main entry: put
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