put down

put down (third-person singular simple present puts down, present participle putting down, simple past and past participle put down)

1. Used other than with a figurative or idiomatic meaning: see put,‎ down.

   Why don't you put down your briefcase and stay awhile?

   • 1922, Virginia Woolf, Jacob's Room Chapter 1

     "There he is!" cried Mrs. Flanders, coming round the rock and covering the whole space of the beach in a few seconds. "What has he got hold of? Put it down, Jacob! Drop it this moment!

2. (idiomatic) To insult, belittle, or demean.

   Antonyms: compliment, talk up

   They frequently put down their little sister for walking slowly.

   • 1965, The Who, My Generation

     People try to put us down / Just because we get around.

3. (of money as deposit) To pay.

   We put down a $1,000 deposit.

4. To halt, eliminate, stop, or squelch, often by force.

   Synonyms: end, stop, eliminate, extinguish

   The government quickly put down the insurrection.

   • 22 March 2012, Scott Tobias, AV Club The Hunger Games

     For the 75 years since a district rebellion was put down, The Games have existed as an assertion of the Capital’s power, a winner-take-all contest that touts heroism and sacrifice—participants are called “tributes”— while pitting the districts against each other.

5. (euphemistic) To euthanize (an animal).

   Synonyms: put to sleep, euthanize

   Rex was in so much pain, they had to put him down.

   • 2016, "Dog found buried alive in Redcar with nail in head", BBC:

     A couple walking in Kirkleatham Woods, Redcar, heard whimpering and found the terrier-type animal in a mound of earth at about midday. It was rushed to a vet but its injuries were so serious it had to be put down.

6. To write (something).

   Put down the first thing you think of on this piece of paper.

7. (of a telephone) To terminate a call; to hang up.

   Antonym: pick up

   Synonym: hang up

   Don't put the phone down. I want a quick word with him, too.

8. To add a name to a list.

   I've put myself down for the new Spanish conversation course.

9. To make prices, or taxes, lower.

   BP are putting petrol and diesel down in what could be the start of a price war.

10. (idiomatic) To place a baby somewhere to sleep.

    I had just put Mary down when you rang. So now she's crying again.

11. (idiomatic, of an aircraft) To land.

    The pilot managed to put down in a nearby farm field.

12. (idiomatic) To drop someone off, or let them out of a vehicle.

    Antonym: pick up

    The taxi put him down outside the hotel.

13. (idiomatic) To cease, temporarily or permanently, reading (a book).

    I was unable to put down The Stand: it was that exciting.

• (add a name to a list): register
• (land an aircraft): touch down

• put down as
• put down for
• put down to

• put up

put down (plural put downs)

1. Alternative spelling of put-down