put down

put down idiom
  1. Write down; also, enter in a list. For example, Please put down my name for a free ticket, or Put me down as a subscriber. [Second half of 1500s]
  2. Bring to an end, repress, as in They managed to put down the rebellion in a single day, or We've got to put down these rumors about a takeover. [c. 1300]
  3. Kill a sick animal, as in The vet said the dog must be put down. [Mid-1500s] Also see put away, def. 5.
  4. Belittle, disparage, criticize, as in Her husband was always putting her down. [c. 1400] Also see run down, def. 6.
  5. Ascribe, attribute, as in We put her poor performance down to stage fright. [Late 1700s]
  6. Regard, classify, as in We put her down as a hypochondriac. [Mid-1800s]
  7. Pay a deposit, as in We put down $2,000 for the car.
  8. Store for future use, as in David put down ten cases of this year's Chablis. [Mid-1800s]
  9. Land in an aircraft; also, land an aircraft, as in What time will we put down at Heathrow? or She put the plane down exactly on the runway. [c. 1930]
  10. Put a child to bed, as in The sitter said she'd put Brian down at 8:30. [Second half of 1900s]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

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