Word
putty
Phoneticsput·ty
US/ˈpəti/
UK/pˈʌti/
Definition
n. a soft, sticky substance that you press into a hole to fill it. You usually use it to fix cracks in walls or to hold glass in a window frame.
n. a soft, pliable material used for sealing, filling, or holding objects in place. Often refers to a mixture of chalk or gypsum with linseed oil.
Examples
“I used putty to fix the small crack in the wall.”
“Before hanging the new picture frame, he applied a thin layer of putty to the nail holes to make the surface smooth.”
“The artisan carefully mixed the oil-based putty to ensure it would harden evenly, providing a durable seal for the stained-glass window.”
Examples
simple
“I used putty to fix the small crack in the wall.”
contextual
“Before hanging the new picture frame, he applied a thin layer of putty to the nail holes to make the surface smooth.”
complex
“The artisan carefully mixed the oil-based putty to ensure it would harden evenly, providing a durable seal for the stained-glass window.”
Etymology
Borrowed from French potée (“polishing powder", originally "the contents of a pot, potful”), from French pot (“pot”). More at English pot.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Idioms
putty in someone's hands — One who is readily manipulated or controlled by another person; a puppet.
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/putty