put in order

Idioms and Phrases

Arrange in proper sequence; see in order , def. 1; also put one's house in order .

Related Words

• arrange
• assemble
• brace
• develop
• draw up
• equip
• form
• formulate
• gird
• make
• plan
• produce
• provide
• qualify
• ready
• strengthen
• supply
• train

More About Put In Order

What does put in order mean?

Put in order means to arrange something in the proper or desired sequence.

Often, the things being arranged are included in the phrase, as in I put the books in order on the shelf while cleaning my room.

Put in order is sometimes followed by a more detailed description of how something was arranged, such as Put these in order from largest to smallest.

Sometimes, put in order means to make a situation orderly, as in I need to put my affairs in order before my trip. This is what’s meant by the similar phrase put one’s house in order, in which the word house really refers to one’s life. It’s especially used to criticize someone else’s life by suggesting that it needs to be put in order because it’s a mess.

Example: The assignment is to put the words in order from longest to shortest.

Where does put in order come from?

The phrase put in order likely dates back to at least the 1400s. The phrase combines the verb put, meaning “to place something somewhere,” and the phrase in order, which means “in a proper arrangement or sequence.”

For things to be put in order, you need an order to put things into. For this reason, put in order is usually used in the context of items that can be organized in a specific way, like books organized alphabetically by author.

The order, though, can be based on any trait the items share, such as size, color, or weight. Dishes could be put in order by size, with all the small plates stacked in one pile and all the large plates stacked in another. Your clothes could be put in order in your closet by color, with all your black shirts together, all your red shirts together, and so on. The order is really up to the person doing the ordering.

Did you know ... ?

What are some synonyms for put in order?

• arrange
• file
• form
• organize

What are some words that share a root or word element with put in order? 

• put
• order
• in order
• put one’s house in order

What are some words that often get used in discussing put in order?

• arrangement
• sequence
• system
• organize
• affairs
• house

How is put in order used in real life?

Put in order is used when people are trying to arrange things in a correct or desired way.

I wrote 3,000 words today for my new book.
Now I just need to put them in order.

— Lee Strobel (@LeeStrobel) August 31, 2020

I should put my records in order of release date.

— Amanda Pockets (@NellieDigiorgio) August 26, 2010

The first time Soonyoung walks through the door, he’s followed by a gust of autumn air that blows through the shop and scatters dozens of pages of some tattered manuscript Wonwoo had been putting in order.

— transmogrify bot (@transmogbot) November 19, 2020

 

 

Try using put in order!

Is put in order used correctly in the following sentence?

Jane put the toys in order by scattering them around the room.