put down — 3 meanings

One phrase, 3 meanings. Learn them one at a time, then test yourself.

phrasal verb3 meanings

put down

to place something on a surface

to criticize or insult someone

euthanize an animal

Meaning 1 · most common

to place something on a surface

put down sth

A scene showing “put down” meaning “place something on a surface”.

To move something you are holding and place it onto a table, floor, or another surface.

How oftenVery common

LevelB1

Used inMostly spoken

Examples

She put down her bag on the chair and sat next to me.

A: Can you put down the groceries on the counter?
B: Sure, I'll do it now.

Common mistake

Not: Put down it on the table.

Say: Put it down on the table.

With a pronoun, the object goes in the middle: 'put it down'.

More on “to place something on a surface”Another example · Tell it apart · Goes with · Tip

Another example

When I get home from work, I usually put down my keys on the table by the door so I don't lose them.

Tell it apart

Put the box down here.

set it on a surface

Put the box away.

return it to where it's kept

Goes with

put + thing + down

Practice saying this

Next meaning: to criticize or insult someone

Meaning 2

to criticize or insult someone

put down sth
informal

A scene showing “put down” meaning “make someone feel small”.

To say something that makes someone feel stupid or unimportant.

How oftenCommon

LevelB2

Used inMostly spoken

Examples

He always puts people down to make himself feel better.

A: Why did you put me down in front of everyone?
B: I'm sorry, I didn't mean to embarrass you.

Common mistake

Not: He always puts down me in front of others.

Say: He always puts me down in front of others.

With a pronoun, the object goes in the middle: 'put me down'.

More on “to criticize or insult someone”Another example · Tell it apart · Goes with · Tip

Another example

In my opinion, it's important not to put others down, especially when working in a team, because it can hurt their confidence.

Tell it apart

He's always putting me down.

insulting / belittling me

He's always putting me off.

discouraging me / making me lose interest

Goes with

put + someone + down

Practice saying this

Next meaning: euthanize an animal

Meaning 3

euthanize an animal

put down animal

A scene showing “put down” meaning “gently end a sick animal's life”.

To kill an animal painlessly, usually because it is very ill or suffering, often as a humane decision.

How oftenNow and then

LevelC1

Used inSpeech & writing

Examples

After years of illness, they finally had to put their dog down.

A: What happened to Bella? She hasn't been around lately.
B: Sadly, we had to put her down last week. She was suffering too much.

Common mistake

Not: We had to ~~put down~~ our dog to sleep.

Say: We had to have our dog put down. / ...put to sleep.

Don't blend the two idioms — it's 'put down' OR 'put to sleep', not 'put down to sleep'.

More on “euthanize an animal”Another example · Tell it apart · Goes with · Tip

Another example

Some people argue that it is more humane to put down animals that are in severe pain rather than prolonging their suffering.

Tell it apart

We had the dog put down.

euthanised — sadly

We put the dog down in the garden.

set it on the ground

Goes with

have/put + animal + down

Practice saying this

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to place something on a surface to criticize or insult someone euthanize an animal