What does "put" mean?

1. (to physically place) to move something into a specific place or position. 2. (to change a state) to cause someone or something to be in a certain situation or feeling. 3. (to express in words) to say or write something in a particular way. 4. (to estimate) to guess a number, value, or amount. 5. (to throw (shot put)) to throw a heavy ball as far as possible in a sports competition. 6. (finance option) a contract that gives you the right to sell something at a fixed price.

Is it correct to say "I put the book."?

No — say "I put the book on the table.". The verb 'put' almost always needs a place (like 'on the table' or 'away') to complete the sentence.

Is it correct to say "He is going to putt the shot."?

No — say "He is going to put the shot.". Do not confuse 'put' (throwing a heavy ball) with 'putt' (hitting a golf ball).

put

v. · n.

US //ˈpʊt// put

Irregular verb past put past participle put

1 to physically place (v.)
A1 Beginner

to move something into a specific place or position.

to move or place something in a particular physical location. Transitive; requires both a direct object and a locative complement.

Example

Please put your dirty dishes in the sink when you finish eating.

Example

The curator carefully put the fragile manuscript back into its climate-controlled display case after the inspection was complete.
- place
- set
- lay
- remove
- take
Pitfall

I put the book.

I put the book on the table.

The verb 'put' almost always needs a place (like 'on the table' or 'away') to complete the sentence.
2 to change a state (v.)
A2 Elementary

to cause someone or something to be in a certain situation or feeling.

to bring someone or something into a particular state, relation, or condition.

Example

The loud music put the baby in a bad mood.

Example

The sudden change in interest rates put the entire housing project at risk of financial failure.
- set
- bring

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3 to express in words (v.)
B1 Intermediate

to say or write something in a particular way.

to express or state something using a specific choice of words or style.

Example

I am not sure how to put this, but I think we should leave.

Example

To put it bluntly, the company cannot afford to continue its current level of spending without new investment.
4 to estimate (v.)
B2 Upper Intermediate

to guess a number, value, or amount.

to assign a value, figure, or estimate to something.

Example

Experts put the cost of the repairs at over five thousand dollars.

Example

Historians put the date of the temple's construction at roughly three centuries before the common era.
5 to throw (shot put) (v.)
B2 Upper Intermediate Technical Sport

to throw a heavy ball as far as possible in a sports competition.

to throw a heavy metal ball with a pushing motion from the shoulder as an athletic exercise.

Example

She managed to put the shot further than any other student in her class.

Example

The athlete focused on his footwork before attempting to put the shot during the final round of the championship.
- hurl
- throw
Pitfall

He is going to putt the shot.

He is going to put the shot.

Do not confuse 'put' (throwing a heavy ball) with 'putt' (hitting a golf ball).
6 finance option (n.)
C1 Advanced Technical Law

a contract that gives you the right to sell something at a fixed price.

an option contract giving the owner the right, but not the obligation, to sell a specified amount of an underlying security at a specified price within a specified time.

Example

He bought a put to protect his investment in case the stock price fell.

Example

The investor utilised a series of puts to hedge against potential volatility in the technology sector during the upcoming earnings season.
- put option
- call

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