# put

> English word · Verb · IPA /pʊt/ · frequency rank #209

## Definitions
1. To physically place (something or someone somewhere).
2. To place in abstract; to attach or attribute; to assign.
3. To bring or set (into a certain relation, state or condition).
4. To express (something in a certain manner).
5. To set before one for judgment, acceptance, or rejection; to bring to the attention.
6. To set as a calculation or estimate.
7. To steer; to direct one's course; to go.
8. To sell (assets) under the terms of a put option.
9. To throw with a pushing motion, especially in reference to the sport of shot put. (Do not confuse with putt.)
10. To play a card or a hand in the game called "put".
11. To lay down; to give up; to surrender.
12. To incite; to entice; to urge; to constrain; to oblige.
13. To convey coal in the mine, as for example from the working to the tramway.

## Etymology
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-West Germanic *putōn, 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”), Low German paten (“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”).

## Easily confused with
- **PV** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/put-vs-pv)
- **PW** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/put-vs-pw)
- **PX** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/put-vs-px)
- **PVC** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/put-vs-pvc)
- **PvP** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/put-vs-pvp)
- **PWC** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/put-vs-pwc)
- **pye** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/put-vs-pye)
- **puts** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/put-vs-puts)
- **putt** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/put-vs-putt)
- **Putin** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/put-vs-putin)
- **putty** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/put-vs-putty)
- **p** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/p-vs-put)
- **PM** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pm-vs-put)
- **PC** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pc-vs-put)
- **PA** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pa-vs-put)
- **PP** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pp-vs-put)
- **PR** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pr-vs-put)
- **pt** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pt-vs-put)
- **PS** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ps-vs-put)
- **po** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/po-vs-put)

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/put